As Young Hearts Grow Older
by LilAkikoElf
Summary: It has been two years since Kagome has gone back to her own time, leaving in the midst of a fight with Inuyasha. Did she do the right thing? Will her hanyou finally come for her? InuKag, SanMir Nominated for Best Hidden Treasure at IYFG, 4th Quarter 2007!
1. Past and Present

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Kagome allowed a bitter tear to slide down her cheek. She stared out her bedroom window, watching the rain fall from the sky in sheets. Her one comfort was that the Gods were just as unhappy this night, it seemed, as she was.

It had been two years since they had defeated Naraku; two years that Kagome had been back in her own time, focused on her future and her studies. It seemed that all the time she had been yearning for home, she never thought about how much she would miss the Feudal Era when she had to leave it. She had never realized how awful it would feel to leave her friends behind.

She let a sigh fight its way out of her, trying desperately not to break down into sobs. Kagome wasn't especially fond of tears. She felt rather foolish crying the way she was now.

She had fought her emotions for two long years. She tried to see past her longing for her friends. She tried not to think about how much she wanted to tell Sango her secrets or share candy with Shippou. She even missed Miroku's lecherous tendencies. The person that she missed the most was Inuyasha.

She half expected him to come crawling out of that well any day now to come looking for her. When she had left to return home, she knew that she probably wouldn't have any way of getting back since they'd had to destroy the Shikon no Tama. The only person that would be able to continue to travel through the well would be Inuyasha. However, they hadn't exactly parted on the most pleasant of terms.

oOo

_"Why do you have to go back?" Inuyasha asked, annoyance clear in his voice. "No one ever said you couldn't stay with us."_

_"If I don't go back, my family will never know that has happened to me. They'll miss me. And I couldn't deliberately do that to them."_

_Inuyasha had let out an angry growl. "Fine. Just don't expect me to come looking for you in a week."_

_Kagome had taken that particularly hard. She had thought, evidently wrongly, that she and Inuyasha had gotten closer over the time they'd spent together. She even thought he was glad to see her most of the time. Yet, she wasn't sad when he'd told her that he wouldn't come and get her. In fact, it was all she could do to quell her anger enough to continue conversing with him._

_"Did I ever say that I expected that from you?! No! Because that would mean that you'd have to care about some one other than yourself or Kikyou!" she ground out._

_Inuyasha spun around to look at her. His eyes were filled with anger and something else. If she didn't know better, Kagome might call it pain. "You don't know a god damned thing."_

_"You're right, Inuyasha. I don't know. You never tell me anything. But you can hardly call that my fault."_

_His jaw hardened. "Go home, Kagome. Just forget about all of this, all of us. That's what you were going to do anyways."_

_He flipped his silver hair over his shoulder and turned on his heels. Before she could even let the magnitude of what the hanyou had just said to her sink in, he was gone. Kagome suddenly felt so empty and helpless. She sank to her knees on the forest floor and wept._

_Inuyasha hadn't gotten as far away as Kagome had thought. He watched her from his perch on a nearby tree. His insides felt like they were being twisted out of him through his skin as he watched her cry. He had to fight with every cell in his body to resist the urge to run to her and hold her._

_With a sense of shame, he realized that this was all his fault. If he had just told her how he felt, told her that he loved her, she would have a reason to stay. Instead, he promptly stuck his foot in his mouth and decided to choke on it. He wouldn't even know how to begin to apologize for all of this._

_"Maybe it's better this way," he mumbled to himself. If she stayed, he would only hurt her more over the years. The only thing that he truly hated was seeing her cry because of him. He didn't want to be the cause of her pain for years to come. Better to let her go now, let her heal._

oOo

Kagome sighed as she thought back on what happened that day. She knew she had made a mistake coming back without resolving things between Inuyasha and herself. Now it was too late for her to fix it.

She wiped angrily at her eyes. There was no use crying over the past now, she assured herself. It couldn't fix anything and it certainly wasn't going to make her feel any better.

Kagome turned back to her desk, focusing her attention once again on her school books. If nothing else, she could always throw herself into her school work and forget about everything else.

The past two years had not been kind when it came to her studies. She hadn't realized how behind she truly was until she had come back. She knew that if she'd had any hope of graduating on time and getting in to a good college, she would have to work really hard to catch up.

In desperation that was fueled by heartbreak, she had thrown herself into her studies with a passion that boggled her friends. It was an easy way to help her forget about her journey into the past, even if it was only fleeting. She had been able to pull her grades up. She even began to better understand the concepts and subjects. She was making higher grades than she ever had before.

Kagome reached for her teacup and took a sip. She made a face when she realized that it was ice cold. She must have spent more time looking out the window than she thought she had. She shook her head, chastising herself inwardly for wasting so much time.

She rose from her desk, teacup in hand. "Guess I need some more tea…and a better attention span."

Kagome silently made her way down the stairs. It was late in the night. She was sure that the rest of her family would be sleeping heavily by now. The last thing that she wanted was to wake them. Especially not if they were going to ask her all the annoying questions they always did.

"'What's wrong Kagome?' 'Did you get enough sleep, Kagome?' 'Is everything alright, Kagome?' 'You need to get some rest, Kagome!'" she mumbled to herself.

She shook her head. It was like no one could resist asking probing questions about things that really didn't concern them in any way. She especially hated it when they asked about Inuyasha. Her mother did it more often than anyone else.

She recalled the look on her mother's face. Worry was etched sharply into her features. "Dear, you're thinking about him, aren't you? You know, it's ok. I'm sure he'll come."

Kagome scoffed as she remembered that. Two years had come and gone and he hadn't tried to come to her. He hadn't done anything. He probably found Kikyou. She was absolutely sure that he was happy without her in his life. Maybe it was better for him this way.

oOo

Inuyasha sat down next to the Bone Eater's Well. He was sure it was quite late, but he didn't care. It wasn't like he was going to sleep anyways.

He focused his attention to the sky, staring at the stars. He never imagined he would feel so lonely under such a beautiful expanse of sky. His hand grasped tighter at his sword as he thought back to a time when a raven haired beauty was always by his side, watching the night sky with him.

He closed his eyes, seeing her clearly in his mind. He would never admit it to any one else, but he missed Kagome with all of his heart. He couldn't even remember how she smelled now and it was tearing him apart inside.

"I never should have let you go, Kagome," he sighed at the sky.

There was only one thing stopping him from going down the well to get her: his pride. He wouldn't let the others know he missed her. He hardly spoke to any of them because he didn't want them to ask about her. He didn't want to think about her if he didn't have to.

And yet, with all the avoiding he did, all the times he pushed her from his mind, and all the places he wouldn't go because it made him think of her, she kept coming back to his thoughts just the same. It seemed like he couldn't escape her memory. She was a ghost that would not stop haunting him until he gave her what she wanted.

With his eyes still closed, Inuyasha rested his head against the well. His life was filled with far too many ifs. The overwhelming urge to fix this, to make sure that Kagome didn't turn out to be one of those ifs washed over him.

Something had to be done, he told himself with determination. He had to know if she had moved on. He had to know if she felt the same. At the very least, he had to make sure that she was alright, that life was being kind to her. If she had moved on, it would at least bring him closure; albeit, not the kind of closure that he was particularly fond of these days.

He felt anger flare inside of his chest. Inuyasha knew he wouldn't be able to stand it if she was with some one else. He was suddenly furious with himself for not telling her how he felt. He wasn't just mentally kicking himself; he was mentally beating the snot out of himself.

"I can't stand all this uncertainty," he moaned desperately. He forced himself to stand.

Inuyasha turned and looked down into the depths of the dark well. It was dark around him and even darker in the well. The blackness taunted him, dared him to run the other way. He steeled himself and jumped inside.

**A/N: Ok, so this is my first fanfiction. Please, be gentle with the comments. This is only chapter one. More to come soon.**


	2. Surrender

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Two

Disclaimer: I, unfortunately for me, do not own Inuyasha.

As Inuyasha fell down the well, he became enveloped with the familiar blue light. He closed his eyes, remembering how often he used to make this journey. The feeling of weightlessness, the warmth surrounding him, all of these things he had almost forgotten. He almost couldn't believe how pleasant this feeling was and that he had never noticed it before.

The blue light began to gradually fade away. Inuyasha felt solid ground under his feet as he landed gracefully at the bottom of the well. He could just barely see the roof of the well house from his vantage point.

For a moment, he didn't make a sound. He just stood where he was, taking in the smell of the city, something he hadn't been around in far too long. It mixed with the musty smell of the well house and Inuyasha was sure that he would know Kagome's time, even if he was blind, simply because of the way it smelled.

He jumped up and landing smoothly on the wooden floor next to the well. He was a little bit surprised at how dusty it had become, especially in light of the way Kagome's grandfather had been so insistent on constantly cleaning the grounds of the shrine. Then it occurred to him that no one used the tiny shed anymore.

Inuyasha felt his heart sink a little bit at that idea. All this time he had wondered if Kagome had thought of him, had tried to come back to him through the well. He wondered if she ever watched for him. It appeared evident that she hadn't. He wondered if she really had moved on without him. He hoped that she didn't.

He climbed the stairs of the well house, sliding open the door carefully. He didn't want to make any noise or bring any attention to himself. He wasn't even sure what he would say or do, if he would take any action at all.

The cool night air slid across his skin, lifting strands of stray hair from his face. He walked over to the Goshinboku, praying silently for it to lend him some kind of strength or courage. He gazed up at his usual perch on the God tree.

Inuyasha wondered why things couldn't just be like before. He wished that he could just sit up in his place and Kagome would come out and find him like she always did before. In his heart, he wanted it to be that simple. In his head, he knew it would not be that easy for him.

He turned at looked up at Kagome's window. Her light was on and he saw movement in her bedroom. Inuyasha's eyes went wide.

oOo

Kagome filled her teacup with the fresh hot water and grabbed a bag of tea. Jasmine tea, it was sure to comfort her aching heart and help her to get some sleep. Tea always made her feel better. She loved feeling the warmth course through her body.

She turned carefully, trying hard not to spill any of the hot water. She slowly made her way out of the kitchen and back up the stairs to her room. It was too late to study anymore, she concluded. She decided it would be best if she just drank the rest of her tea and resigned herself to going to bed.

Kagome returned to her window. She couldn't help but look outside one last time before she went to bed. She fixed her gaze on the well house. No matter how much her brain begged, her heart wouldn't give up on the idea that he would come back.

Just then, Kagome noticed something. The door to the well house was open. Her eyebrows came together as a confused look clouded her features. She couldn't remember if it had been open before, but she was fairly certain that the door was kept closed these days.

A splash of red moved in the corner of her eye. She turned her immediate attention to the Goshinboku. She saw him standing there.

Kagome's heart began to pound in her chest and her knees went weak. Her hands started to shake. She dropped her teacup to the floor with a loud clatter.

He had looked up. He looked right at her.

Kagome's door slid quickly open. "Kagome! What on Earth is going on here?" her mother asked.

Kagome whirled around, startled. "I-I-I…He's outside!" she blurted out.

Mrs. Higurashi stalked over to the window. She fixed her gaze intently on the grounds before her. "Where is he?"

Kagome turned and looked out again. "He was just there!" she cried desperately.

Inuyasha was gone. She was sure she had seen him in the courtyard! Tears began to form in her eyes.

Mrs. Higurashi gave her daughter a sympathetic look. "Darling, I know how badly you wanted him to be there. But it's so dark and so late. Maybe it's time you got some rest. How long has it been since you got any sleep?"

Kagome didn't even know. She hadn't slept well in days. She felt foolish for thinking it had been Inuyasha. It was probably just her heart playing tricks on her. It had just seemed so real.

Her mother walked her over to the bed. She sat down, her mother sitting next to her. "Dear, I want you to really get some sleep. You can't keep doing this to yourself. It's not healthy. Why don't you get yourself ready for bed and I'll clean up this mess, alright?"

Kagome was brought back to reality with those words. She looked up at her mother, guilt written all over her face. "I'm so sorry, mama! I didn't mean to break that teacup!"

The tears in Kagome's eyes began to spill out onto her cheeks. Her mother gave her a smile. "I know, my love. It's alright! Accidents happen. It was only a cup."

Mrs. Higurashi took her daughter into her arms, cradling her like she did when Kagome was just a girl. Things had been so rough for her little baby lately. She desperately wanted to be able to do more for Kagome, but she had no idea how. Kagome had become withdrawn and sullen. She never wanted to talk about her feelings anymore.

As her mother stroked her hair, Kagome tried to quiet her tears. She took a few deep breaths. Her tears became smaller and fewer between and her breathing slowed. She choked down the sobs that wanted to come out of her throat.

Kagome felt ridiculous. She gently pulled away from her mother, wiping at her eyes furiously. "I'm sorry mama. I guess I'm just under a lot of stress because of my studies. I'll help you clean up the mess I made."

"Darling, don't you worry about this mess at all. Go and get your pajamas on and brush your teeth. I'll take care of everything."

Kagome stood up, looking down at her mother. "Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, dear," her mother smiled.

Kagome headed for the bathroom and her mother headed for the closet to grab a few rags. Mrs. Higurashi began to soak up the tea on her daughter's bedroom floor and pick up the shards of what remained of her teacup. When she stood with the broken pieces to take them to the wastebasket, she glanced up and a bright blue flash caught her eye.

The well house door stood open. Kagome had been right! Inuyasha had been there. Mrs. Higurashi thought better of telling her daughter. She didn't want the waterworks to begin again tonight. Kagome needed her rest and her mother was going to make sure that she helped her get it.

oOo

There she was: Kagome, standing at her bedroom window, looking straight at him. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. His feet felt like cement blocks, pinned to the ground. He was powerless. All he was capable of doing was staring at her.

He heard the familiar sound of breaking china as she dropped whatever was in her hand. The look on her face was a mix of disbelief and incredulity. She was frozen in her place too.

They stared at each other for what felt like an hour, though he knew that it was only a few moments. He felt his chest tighten as his heart was flooded with emotions he wasn't even sure he could give a name to. He was bound to her, he was sure of it now. She was meant to be in his life; seeing her felt too right.

Kagome whirled around and he heard the muffled voice of her mother. He took that opportunity to hide against the outside of her house, just below her window. He listened intently to her conversation with her mother.

A mixture of surprise and confusion came to his face when he smelled her tears. "Is she crying?" he whispered to himself. "Damn…"

He heard her sobs as her mother tried to comfort her. He wanted to run up to see her, hold her, and tell her everything would be alright. Yet, his body felt like lead. The knowledge that he needed to be alone with her kept him glued to his place, pressed against the outer walls of the Higurashi home.

Inuyasha took a small amount of comfort in the fact that her mother seemed to be making Kagome feel better. He could hear their conversation, how gentle the older woman was being with her daughter. It made him miss his own mother.

When he heard their footsteps trail away from the room, he made a dash for the well house. He didn't want them to find him, not tonight. He paused at the door of the small shack, looking back at the light in her window. Disappointment filled him and he resolved silently to come back in the near future.

As stealthily as he could, he descended the stairs of the well house and hopped down through the well. Blue light surrounded him once more, returning him to his own time.

Inuyasha climbed up his side of the well. There was a time when he had become so accustomed to this action that it didn't even seem like a task. He smiled bitterly as he thought about all the times he had gone back to apologize to Kagome.

Why had the last time been so different? Why had he been so foolishly reluctant to go to her? Was he that afraid of confessing his feelings? He had never feared anything in his life more than he feared her rejection.

Somehow, Kagome had always had the ability to calm him. He hadn't known why at first, but he trusted her in a way he had never trusted any human. There was something about her that made fire burn in his veins every time he saw her.

He walked across the clearing and into the forest. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself. "Why can't anything ever just be simple?!"

Angrily, he found his perch on the Goshinboku. He had to do something to show her he cared. He was sure that he had to tell her his feelings before it was too late. An urgency washed over him, made him feel like his time was waning fast. He felt in his heart that if he didn't act soon, he was going to lose her forever.

Inuyasha held his head in his hands, rubbing his eyes. One thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to lose her. He had spent two years making the biggest mistake he could: living his life without her in it. He didn't want to do that anymore.

"I give up, fate. You win. I need her. I love her! But what do I do?" he cried out to the night sky. "I have to do something. I just need to know what!"


	3. Discovery

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Three

Disclaimer: I do not, nor will I ever, own InuYasha.

**A/N: First off, thanks to the people who reviewed my story! It means a lot to me! This chapter is a little bit longer than the last and it should clear up some of the questions about the rest of the characters. (I hope at least!) Let me know what you think!**

Sango's brown eyes fluttered open from sleep. At first, she didn't move, only stared at the thatched roof of Kaede's hut. Quietly, she tossed off her blanket and sat up. Her eyes moved around the small hut by the light of the dying coals and came to rest in the empty corner.

Inuyasha had been sitting in that spot the night before. He must have left during the night when the rest of them had been sleeping, she surmised. Sango rubbed her sleep-weary eyes as she thought back to the previous evening.

She, Miroku, Shippou, and Kaede had been sitting around the small fire in the hut, enjoying a light dinner. Inuyasha sat away from the group in the corner. His golden eyes were closed sullenly and his Tetsusaiga rested against his knee.

"Inuyasha, do ye intend to eat with us?" Kaede asked.

"Keh," was the only response he afforded the group as he flipped his silver hair over his shoulder, never bothering to open his eyes.

"Surely ye must be hungry after such a busy day," Kaede prodded.

Inuyasha and the others had spent the day helping to build new huts for the ever-expanding village. It had been hard work and she was sure it made for a long day for all of them. Regularly, Inuyasha wouldn't be stopped from gulping down food faster than any one could set it in front of him. Something had to be disturbing him this evening.

"If I wanted food, I'd be eating it already," he grumbled.

Sango and Miroku exchanged a knowing glance. For the past two years, Inuyasha had tried as hard as he possibly could to make them all think he didn't miss Kagome. In all actuality, he was only fooling himself. However, he was the only person that didn't seem to pick up on that little fact.

Sango and Miroku had frequently discussed ways that they might brooch the subject with the grumpy hanyou. Unfortunately, neither could think of a way that wouldn't send him angrily stalking off in the other direction. Inuyasha's temper seemed to have worsened since Kagome had gone back to her own time period. He was moodier than ever and rarely ever wanted to hear the rest of them talk about missing Kagome.

"You know," Shippou declared louder than necessary, "if you weren't such a jerk, Kagome would be here right now eating with us!"

Miroku's blue eyes widened at Shippou's words. He wondered if the kit knew he was bringing the lone hanyou's wrath down upon him. Miroku decided to warn him. "Uh….Shippou, I'm not sure that now is the time for this conversation…"

"Miroku, you shut up," Inuyasha growled. He opened his fury-filled eyes and turned them on Shippou. "You don't know anything, you little brat. And until you do, you'd better shut your stupid little mouth before I shut it for you."

Shippou defiantly shut his green eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm not afraid of you."

"Maybe you should be. Kagome isn't here to protect you now."

"And that's your fault!" Shippou squealed at him.

Inuyasha's ears twitched. He wasn't sure whether he was more enraged with Shippou for being a smart ass or himself for driving Kagome away. A growl escaped from his throat as his eyes flashed and he glared daggers at the fox demon.

Sango chose this moment to step in. "Shippou, that's enough. I don't want to hear any more of this tonight. We've all had a very long day. It's time to settle in for the night."

Shippou looked at Sango as though she had just stolen the wind from his sails. Disappointment played across his features and he pouted. Sango's eyes hardened for a moment at him. He noticed and dropped his gaze, nodding to agree with her, but still staying quiet.

Inuyasha let a small, mocking noise escape his lips. "Heh."

Sango glared at him. "Let's _all_ try to have a pleasant night, yes?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes again, resting his head against the wall. "Whatever."

Miroku looked gratefully at Sango and she smiled. She knew he wasn't able to contend with their wild tempers as well as she could. Miroku usually just got pulled into the fight right along with them. Sango couldn't come to a conclusion as to whether their obedience to her commands stemmed from the fact that she was a female or because she was as close to a replacement of Kagome as any of them would ever find.

It hadn't been easy for her to become the only young woman in their lives. She was aware that she was the only young lady that Inuyasha would trust, Miroku's love interest, and a substitute mother figure for Shippou in Kagome's absence. Even though the pressure was immense, Sango wouldn't have traded it for the world. These three were her family now that hers was gone.

Since Kohaku's death, Sango found herself emptier than she had imagined possible. Miroku had been there for her, supporting her when she felt melancholy creeping in. Shippou did his best to help cheer her up and was beginning to feel like a little brother to her in his own way. Even Inuyasha had been patient and understanding. The only support she found herself missing was Kagome.

Kagome. Now there was a friend, Sango thought. She had kept their spirits high all through their battle with Naraku. Kagome was single-handedly responsible for keeping InuYasha in-line. Whenever Shippou and Inuyasha were at each other's throats, as they had been this night, Kagome was the one who was able to diffuse the situation leaving every one contented, if not amiable.

It was only natural that Kagome go back to her own time once they had defeated Naraku. Sango had expected it all along. Just because she had seen it coming, however, it wasn't easy to say goodbye. They had become such good friends that Sango felt as though she was losing a sister.

The rest of the night was filled with an uncomfortable silence that was as thick as fog. It seemed every one was much too tense, nervous, or irritated to speak. If it hadn't been so strained, they probably would have enjoyed the peace. In lieu of anything else to occupy them, they turned to sleep.

She had slept restlessly. Her dreams had been filled with visions of her lost family. She was relieved to be awake.

Sango slowly rose to her feet, making her way to the door of the hut. She crept by her sleeping comrades as softly as she could. She pushed the bamboo screen aside and stepped out of the hut. Day was already breaking.

She took a moment to look at the beautiful orange hues in the sky. Looking at the dawn sky often reminded her of the demon slayer village. She had spent many mornings watching the sun rise with her father after a long night of fighting.

Sango ran a hand through her brown hair. Her thoughts turned to Inuyasha. She pitied him sometimes, being unable to admit his own feelings to even himself. He must be feeling incredibly lonely since Kagome had gone home.

Her heart ached for him. She knew how it felt to be completely alone with no one to turn to. The fact that they were all alone was what brought them together in the first place. Kagome was in a strange time, Shippou's father had been slain, Miroku's father had fallen victim to the same curse that Miroku himself was now afflicted with, Inuyasha was betrayed by the woman he loved because of Naraku's trickery, and Sango herself had had her family savagely ripped away from her. It was their loneliness that had brought the motley crew together in the first place.

Sango's feet began to carry her towards the Goshinboku before she could even think about what she was doing. Her zori made gentle slapping sounds on the hard earth with every step she took. She was quite sure she couldn't assuage his grief, but she could at least make sure Inuyasha understood that she could be a friend to him.

Inuyasha heard her and smelled her before he even saw her. He didn't need to look down. He resisted the temptation to tell her to go away. He was curious about what might have her up so early in the morning.

"Inuyasha," Sango said incredulously. She saw the familiar splash of his red clothing upon his usual branch. She knew he was there and she knew he was awake.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked brusquely.

"Well," Sango began, trying hard not to sound as off-put as she was by his tone, "I just wanted to see if you were alright. You left during the middle of the night."

"Keh."

Sango fingered one of the sleeves of her pink Kimono. She wasn't sure how to go about this after all. "Inuyasha, I know you don't want to talk to us about how you feel, but I think you might feel better if-"

He cut off her thought by jumping down right in front of her. Startled, she took a few steps back, giving him more space to stand. Inuyasha leaned his back casually against the God tree. He paused for a moment before he begrudgingly spoke.

"Listen, woman, I don't need your sympathy. And I don't need a shoulder to cry on. I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it ain't gonna work."

Sango's face twisted to anger. Her brown eyes burned. "You know, Shippou was right. It's hardly fair that you spend your time in a foul mood over something you could have prevented."

Inuyasha seemed to ignore her last statement. His face was full of questions and he stared at the sky. He could think of no better way to go about asking what he wanted to, so he simply changed the subject as quickly as it had begun. "Sango?" he asked.

"Yes?" she responded.

Inuyasha brought his eyes back to Sango's face. They were filled with a new determination which confused Sango. "What do you give a girl for a present?"

Sango's eyes widened in shock. _Was I wrong this whole time?_ _Has he been thinking of some one else? Or worse, is he in love with some one else?! _Sango tried to remove any emotion from her voice as she spoke. "Well…I'm not sure…are you interested in some one new?"

Inuyasha scoffed. "I don't think that's any of your business, but no! I'm not!"

Sango's eyes betrayed her disbelief, but she didn't want to fight with the hanyou. "Well, I suppose you start by giving her flowers. If that goes well, then I guess you give a hair comb or jewelry, something like that. I don't know. I've never really gotten any gifts."

Inuyasha nodded and then bounded off with purpose. Sango watched him disappear into the forest. What he had asked her had sent her mind spinning with an abundance of questions.

_Just what did he mean by that, I wonder…Does he have a new love interest?_

Sango sighed to herself and shook her head. It seemed that Inuyasha was destined to fall in love more than twice. She turned on her heels and started back to Kaede's hut. She would have to discuss this with Miroku.

oOo

Kagome rolled over, just barely cracking her brown eyes open. When they came to rest on her alarm clock, they flew open. "Oh no! I'm late for school!" she shrieked.

She bolted off of her bed in a panic. Kagome hated being late more than anything. She rushed to toss off her pajamas and wiggle into her school uniform. "This is going to be an awful day!" she said to herself.

She reached for her bag only to find that it wasn't in its usual place. She began to tear apart her bedroom looking for it. She looked under her desk, her bed, and in her closet. She slapped a hand to her forehead in frustration before throwing open her door.

Kagome ran down the stairs toward the kitchen. "Mom, do you know where my school bag is?" she asked desperately.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled broadly and wiped her hands on a dish towel, turning away from the sink at which she stood. "Good morning, dear! Why don't you have some breakfast?"

"I can't, mama! I'm late for school!" Kagome said as she flitted around the kitchen, looking for her school bag.

Mrs. Higurashi put her hands on her daughter's shoulders, stopping her manic search. "Relax, dear! I called you in sick today. You could use a break and I wanted you to get some sleep. Calm down!"

Kagome sighed. She really should have seen this coming. "Mama, you know you didn't have to do that. I could have gone to school."

Mrs. Higurashi laughed at her daughter's comment. "You know, Kagome, most kids would be dying to get a day away from school! You should appreciate it while you can and just enjoy your day. It's the first day in a long time that you'll have to relax and recuperate. Besides, if you didn't get some rest, you were just going to make yourself sick anyways. Consider it preventative medicine."

"I suppose you're right," Kagome said, beginning to see the bright side of her situation. "It will be nice to have a day to myself. I could actually catch up on some reading!"

"There you go, dear! Now sit down and have some breakfast. Then you can go change into something a little more comfortable. Just relax today."

Kagome gave her mother a bright smile. Taking her seat at the table as her mother indicated, she sipped demurely at a glass of orange juice that had been waiting for her. Mrs. Higurashi brought her a plate of pancakes and a small bottle of maple syrup. Kagome's eyes lit up as she saw the special breakfast. She loved her mother's pancakes. They were one of her favorite things and her mother knew it.

"Wow! You must have been really worried about me, huh?" Kagome said lightly.

"Of course I was, dear! You're my baby girl."

Kagome gave her mother her best look of reassurance. "I'm fine, Mama. Just a little tired, like you said. I'll be alright. I'll spend today resting and I'll be back to my old self before you know it!"

Her mother smiled. "I'm sure of it, darling."

With that, Kagome began eating her breakfast. She made sure to eat quickly to avoid further questioning and to get started with her day of relaxation. It had been a long time since she'd had a day to do whatever she wanted. First, she was too busy saving the past. Then, she was too busy trying to catch up in school. For a "carefree teenager," as her grandfather would say, she sure did have a lot do to!

As soon as she finished, her mother took her dishes to the sink. Kagome stood up and headed upstairs. As she reached her room, she found herself all too glad to be able to wear something other than her school uniform. It seemed she spent all together too much time in it.

Kagome slipped out of her school uniform and folded it. She set it on her bed, which it seemed some one had made for her while she wasn't paying attention. Her mother was always too eager to clean something, she thought. Kagome looked at her uniform.

The forest green skirt and white shirt with its green collar and red scarf seemed pristine. Kagome wondered how many of these uniforms her mother had had to purchase for her. She had destroyed so many in the Feudal Era. She thought about how much money she had cost her mother over the years and suddenly felt very guilty.

Her family had never been wealthy. In fact, most of the time, they just barely got by on what little money they had. Her mother had become a thrifty shopper and always knew how to stretch a dime to its fullest. However, despite the fact that they couldn't always afford to get what they wanted, they had always had what they needed and they had always been happy.

Kagome was grateful that the shrine had been bringing in more money lately. They were finally starting to get more money. More tourists than usual for this time of year seemed to be flocking to it. She was curious as to what it was that her grandfather had told them to keep them all so interested, but decided that, in the end, she probably didn't want to know.

She walked to her closet and stood before the open doors. She wasn't sure what she wanted to wear, but she wanted it to be comfortable. She was positive that she sought something light, so no jeans or sweaters. Kagome found a light sundress that she hadn't worn in a while. She decided that it would suit her nicely, considering the weather.

It was a warm and sunny day. Kagome loved the spring. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and she loved to sit under them. She pulled her dress over her head, deciding that her day would be best spent sitting under the sacred tree and reading her book. From there, she would have a lovely view of the cherry blossoms.

As soon as she was dressed, Kagome closed her closet door and grabbed a romance novel off her desk. She was determined to enjoy herself today, if simply to prove to herself that she still could. She bounded down the stairs and headed to the front door. Her yellow sundress swayed flatteringly on the way down.

"Mama," she called. "I'm going to go sit outside and read, okay?"

"That's fine, Kagome. Have a good time!"

Kagome nodded even though she knew her mother wasn't there to see it. She stepped to the door and put on a pair of sandals. She slid the door open and stepped outside into the bright warmth.

The mid-morning sun put a smile on Kagome's face. She hadn't been able to enjoy the weather lately. It seemed as though she was always inside with her head buried deep in a school book. She didn't realize how much she missed being outdoors until just now.

She breathed deeply. The air wasn't as clean as it had been in the Feudal Era, but it was refreshing just the same. The floral scent of the cherry blossoms filled her and lifted her heart. She closed her eyes and savored the moment before walking to the Goshinboku.

Kagome stood before the tree and looked up at it. She wondered why it was that she always felt better around it. Deep down, she knew it was one of the few things that she had left to connect her to Inuyasha.

She thought back to the night before. He had been standing in the very spot she stood in now. She looked at the ground, seeking some kind of clue that he had really been there. She just needed some proof that she wasn't crazy.

Her eyes swung up to land on the well house. She strode over to the door, which had been shut sometime while she was asleep. Her grandfather must have been cleaning the grounds before she awoke.

Before she even realized what she was doing, she was reaching out and opening the door. It slid on its track and stopped with a thud. The inside was dark as usual and Kagome wished that they had installed a light in the old well house.

She took a careful step inside. She wasn't sure what it was that she was looking for, but she had to at least take a look around. She had to have some kind of confirmation or denial, just to rest her mind.

Kagome sneezed loudly, the sound startling even her. "Goodness! It's gotten awfully dusty in here…Guess Jiichan hasn't been cleaning in here anymore."

She looked at the dust covered floor and her heart skipped a beat. She knelt down to better examine the evidence on the stairs, to make sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. She saw them as clearly as day in the light that spilled in behind her.

Footprints in the dust…


	4. Preparations

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am obviously not her.

**A/N: Thanks again to all the people who have been kind enough to review my lil story for me! It's been a good day for writing, so I'm going to update this a little sooner than even I thought. I can't seem to get this out of my head fast enough! Props to all my fellow Grammar Nazi's (No, I'm not mad! I happily share my title! ) and I hope you enjoy this next segment here. **

Kagome's heart pounded in her ears. There were footprints in the dust! He had been there the night before. She hadn't been crazy at all.

Her mind swam with questions. Why had he come? Why didn't he say anything to her? Why hadn't he stayed for more than just a few moments? Why did her heart keep fluttering at the thought of being with him again? Was he with some one new? Did he miss her?

She stood up, dizzy with the notion of seeing him once more. The thought of hearing his voice again sent the butterflies in her stomach into a frenzy. She dropped her book and ran to her grandfather's shed. She pulled out his broom and sprinted back to the well house.

Kagome wasn't sure why she was cleaning the well house. It was possible that Inuyasha wouldn't come back at all. He might not want to have anything more to do with her ever again. Yet, in the back of her mind, she couldn't shake the feeling that she would see him again. She didn't want him to have to come back to a dirty well house, thinking that they had all given up on him.

She swept furiously, sneezing occasionally as she kicked up large amounts of dust. She didn't understand how her meticulous grandfather could let something become so neglected. She was resolved to fix it, to make it sparkle if she had to. She hummed to herself as she worked, sure to be done in no time.

oOo

Sango returned to Kaede's hut, a quizzical look plastered to her pale face. Miroku turned to meet her gaze, smiling. Kaede never pulled her attention away from the small fire she was poking at to prepare their breakfast. Miroku was the first to speak.

"Good morning, Sango dear!" he happily declared.

Sango looked at him and gave him a serious look. "We need to talk. There's something strange going on."

Shippou sprung to his feet. "What do you mean something strange? Like a demon?"

Miroku, sensing the topic at hand was a certain half-demon, interjected. "Shippou, I believe Lady Kaede needs more wood for her fire and some water from the stream. Do you think you could fetch those for her?"

Shippou gave Miroku a look of disbelief and turned to Kaede. When she nodded in the affirmative, Shippou sighed. "I guess this is what I get for being the smallest one here, huh?"

Sango giggled a little bit. "It's okay, Shippou. I'm sure it won't take you long at all! You're pretty fast. Faster than Miroku and I. And I know that Kaede-sama would appreciate it very much."

"Aye. That I would," Kaede agreed. "I'm getting old. It's not easy for me to move about as once I did."

Shippou's shoulders sagged a little bit. "I know, Kaede-sama. I'm sorry. I just hate missing out on things! I want to know just as much as any one else does! And I'm old enough now that I should be included!"

Kaede smiled warmly at the pouting little fox-child. "I shall tell ye everything when ye return."

A grin came to the corners of Shippou's mouth. "Well…alright! But don't leave anything out!"

Shippou grabbed a bucket and was out the door in a matter of seconds. Sango took a seat in between Kaede and Miroku. Her face was full of worry and questions. She was obviously unsure what to make of something.

Miroku asked the first question, since Sango seemed to be at a loss for words. "What is troubling you, Sango?"

Sango took a breath, attempting futilely to arrange her thoughts. "Well, I'm not sure where to start. I guess I'll tell you what happened first."

Kaede prodded the fire one last time, turning her attention to Sango. Miroku settled himself. Sango gripped her green apron in her fists and began.

"I woke up early because I was having nightmares. Inuyasha was gone and, because of the argument we all had last night, I thought I might try to find him and set things right. I don't know what I was going to say, but I didn't really get a chance to say it. I didn't really say much at all."

She paused for a moment. "I found him on the Goshinboku. He asked me what I wanted and I told him I was just checking up on him. Then, all of the sudden, he jumped down and asked me what kind of present he should give to a girl!" she blurted out.

Miroku's eyebrows arched in surprise. Kaede tilted her head to the side. Sango dropped her apron back to her lap, her hands moving up to her chestnut colored hair.

"I wasn't sure what to say! I told him flowers and something traditional like a hair piece or jewelry. He didn't even say anything else. He just left. I think he's in love again! There can't be any other explanation," Sango concluded. "Kikyou died fighting Naraku with us," she added as an after thought.

Miroku closed his eyes, deep in thought. "Now, Sango, let's not be hasty. He's been with us most of the time. I don't know who else he would fall in love with. He doesn't trust any one. If he hadn't known us all for so long, he probably wouldn't even trust us. Not only that, but when would he have the time?"

Kaede nodded. "I agree, Miroku. I do not believe he is in love again. Perhaps he wishes to give ye a gift, Sango?"

Miroku shook his head adamantly. "No, he's definitely not the gift-giving type."

Sango's eyes brightened as a thought occurred to her. "Could it be that he's going back through the well? Maybe he wants to see Kagome again?"

Kaede pursed her lips. "One can never tell with Inuyasha. I believe we should let time tell."

"I agree, Lady Kaede," Miroku said. "He's not doing anything wrong. There is no reason for us to intervene until something sinister comes to light. As of right now, this is none of our business. If he has moved on, I suppose we should be happy for him, even if we don't like it or agree with it."

"I don't think we should tell Shippou about this. I don't want him to get his hopes up and be disappointed. It took him so long to get used to the idea of Kagome going home anyways," Sango said, a hint of pity in her voice.

Kaede agreed, as did Miroku. They finished their talk on the subject just in time, for at that moment Shippou came back into the hut. In one hand, he carried a bucket full of water, in the other, several pieces of wood.

Shippou looked as though he might tip over if the wind blew just right. His little body seemed to be imbalanced by all the weight he carried in his arms. He panted and sweat beaded on his forehead. He dropped the wood with a clatter near the door and carefully set the bucket next to Kaede. It appeared he had already spilled some of the water from the moisture running down the sides of the bucket.

"What did I miss?" he asked between gasps of breath.

Every one chuckled at his hurry to be brought up to date. "Why nothing at all! We were simply discussing the number of additional huts we might need to construct in the near future," Miroku lied.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're fibbing?" Shippou asked apprehensively.

"'Tis true, child," Kaede reassured. "We would not lie to ye."

Shippou's eyes were still clouded with uncertainty, but he seemed to believe the elderly priestess. He plopped himself down next to Sango and scratched his head absently. His young mind had already begun to ponder another subject.

"I wonder where Inuyasha is," he thought aloud. "I haven't seen him all morning."

oOo

Inuyasha ran through the forest. He was on a quest and very little would be able to stop him at this point. He was determined to make things right with Kagome. He wanted, needed, to have something to give to her when he saw her again. When he finally approached her and told her how he felt.

He scanned the forest floor for flowers, as Sango had suggested. He wanted to find an array of beautiful, fresh flowers that he could present to her; something that would show her that he cared for her, even if he couldn't find the words within himself. Something in him yearned to be able to offer her something, anything.

Inuyasha was fairly certain that gifts wouldn't be enough to make up for lost time. That is, if she would bother to speak to him at all. He wasn't even sure if he deserved to be forgiven. If the tables were turned, he wouldn't forgive himself.

He came upon a patch of stargazer lilies. He was surprised by their loveliness. The six petals were a soft pink, the edges outlining them in white. The middle of the petals held small pinpoints of a deeper pink. The long petals curled downward towards the stem that held them. They reminded him of the small windmill fans that Kagome had brought with her from her time to give to Shippou that whirled in the wind. He instantly liked them.

He abandoned the idea of picking a variety of flowers. He only wanted these for Kagome. They were the most beautiful flowers he had ever seen. He only hoped that she would like them as well. It would be nice if she saw them for the peace offering that they were, but he wasn't expecting miracles.

Inuyasha was convinced that he would crawl across a realm of broken glass on his hands and knees just to get back in her good graces. He had never felt like such a fool. And he had done a lot of foolish things in his lifetime. This, however, he found himself regretting with his whole heart.

He sighed as he picked several fistfuls of the pink vegetation. A feeling of uncertainty gripped at him, bringing dread along with it. He knew he needed to start thinking about what he was going to tell her when he went to her.

Inuyasha collected his blossoms in one hand and headed back to the Goshinboku. He had to think. He needed time. He wanted to be alone.

oOo

Kagome was satisfied with the job she had done in the well house. She strolled back to the shed to put her grandfather's broom back in its place. She continued to hum. She was full of a new hope, something she hadn't had in two years.

She turned on her heels after placing the broom back in the corner where it belonged. Her sundress swung around her legs and she felt the air swirl at her ankles. A small smile found its way to her lips as she walked back to the well house. She needed to collect the book that she had tossed to the ground.

She still had time to read. She had an entire afternoon ahead of her, after all. She knelt down to pick up the love story. She ran her fingers along the smooth wood of the well house stairs, touching one of the places where a footprint had lingered in the dust she had swept up. Her book in hand, she rose to her feet again.

Kagome's eyes came to rest on the cover of her romance novel. The picture was of a handsome and muscle-bound man with no shirt wrapping his arms around a beautiful woman. The scene was set on a beach at sunset. She wondered if she would ever find herself in the arms of the man she wanted to be with.

She sighed as she stood, book in hand. She supposed it was too early to give up on things now, especially in light of recent events. She hadn't exactly wanted to give up in the first place, but, after two years, hope had gradually faded like the light in the evening.

At first, her faith in the hanyou remained strong. She knew he would give up in time. She simply thought she had to be patient. After six months had passed, she began to wonder if she had made a bigger mistake than she had counted on. When a year passed, she started to wish that she could take it all back. She might have sold her brother into slavery if given a chance to see Inuyasha again.

At a year and a half, her heart began breaking. She lost her confidence, second guessing every decision she made. She didn't want to relive the pain of losing some one else she loved over a silly fight. Once she had marked the two year anniversary of her departure from the Feudal Era in her diary, she was sure that he had gone to the arms of another. He probably didn't even remember her anymore. Kagome who?

She watched the small pink petals flutter to the ground on the gentle breeze. The sun had reached the middle of the sky, noon. She contemplated going inside to get something to eat, but she wasn't really hungry. She had eaten her breakfast late enough that she wouldn't be feeling hunger pangs until dinner time. She would be able to enjoy reading in the lovely weather until her mother called her inside.

Kagome ambled lazily to the Goshinboku once more. A contented glow came to her face, though she didn't smile. Her heart was filled with possibility. It would be difficult for her to be displeased for the rest of the day. It seemed that her promise to return to her old self would be kept sooner than she had imagined it would be.

She sat down, the roots of the tree cradling her. She glanced at the clear blue sky once more before turning her attention to the tome before her. Within minutes, she was lost in the pages.

oOo

Inuyasha punched the trunk of a nearby tree. "Damn it all!" he cursed.

He had been wracking his brain trying to think of what to say to her. He was angry with himself for being such an idiot. He was angry with her for leaving him, but he also knew that it was just as much his fault as hers.

He sighed. He needed help. _Who on Earth am I supposed to be able to ask about this, for Kami's sake!_

Inuyasha paced restlessly in the clearing. He hadn't even noticed the footsteps coming up behind him. He was too caught up in his feelings. The soft rustle of grass in the distance would normally ring in his ears as loud as a scream. It was as if the Gods had heard his thoughts.

Miroku watched the dog demon from a distance. He looked very distraught indeed. Miroku wondered if it had anything to do with what Sango had assumed was some new mystery woman. He didn't think Inuyasha would be the type to begin an affair with some typical village woman.

Inuyasha's pace increased, becoming almost manic. Miroku felt it was finally time to give away his presence. He picked up a rather large stick and cracked it loudly over his knee.

Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks, his head snapping in the direction of the sound. If Miroku hadn't been hidden behind a tree, he was sure that the hanyou would have spotted him instantly. Inuyasha frowned. "Who in the hell is there?"

The monk stepped out from behind the foliage. "It's only me, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. The last person he needed to talk to was the king of lechery. "Yeah, what do you want?" he asked rudely. He made it perfectly clear that he was in no mood to deal with silly questions.

Miroku had never been one to take his cues from another's tone. In fact, he didn't really mind if others ended up uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. He walked toward Inuyasha, his blue eyes never breaking contact with the amber ones which met his gaze.

"Sango is concerned for you, you know. You haven't eaten since before last night. She and Lady Kaede are preparing lunch and she wanted to know if you would be joining us. I volunteered to come and find you. I had a feeling you might be here."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, unimpressed. "Yeah, well, it doesn't exactly take a genius to figure that out now, does it?"

Miroku ignored the fire in his companion's voice. "She's also been very interested in something you said to her earlier." He paused for a moment. "It seems she got the impression that you may have fallen in love with another woman. Is this true?"

Leave it to Miroku to get straight to the point, Inuyasha thought. He scowled and his form stiffened. "I'm sure that's not any of your business," he growled.

Miroku grinned. "Well, on that we both agree!"

Surprise lit Inuyasha's face. His mouth dropped open. "You mean, you're actually gonna leave me alone?"

"If that is what you want, then yes. Just don't expect the same courtesy from every one else."

The corner of Inuyasha's mouth turned up into a half-smile. He supposed if he had to ask anyone for advice, he could probably trust Miroku enough to be quiet about things. He thought for a moment before he proceeded.

"Listen, Miroku, I have a question and I don't know who else to ask about this stuff. I tried asking Sango, but she didn't help all that much at all." Miroku nodded and the half demon continued. "I need to tell some one I'm sorry, but I want to give her a gift so she knows I'm serious. I got some flowers for her, but it doesn't seem like enough. And, at any rate, I don't have any idea what to say to her! What should I do?"

Miroku brought a hand up to his face, a pensive look coming over it. He stroked his chin as he considered the dilemma before him. He didn't want to ask probing questions, for Inuyasha was sure to shut him out if he did that.

"Well, obviously, you're quite sorry. Otherwise, you wouldn't be making a move to apologize in the first place. Most women are wise when it comes to these matters. More than that, the flowers you collected for her will be a show of your appreciation for her. She will be glad to receive them, undoubtedly."

Inuyasha nodded, listening intently. How Miroku came to know so much about things of this nature, he would never know. He supposed it didn't matter, as long as it helped him in the end.

Miroku continued. "Just tell her what's in your heart. You can never go wrong telling a woman the truth, especially when you're sincere."

"I know. I just…I don't want her to think I'm a jerk, even though she probably already thinks that," he sighed. "I'm not good with feelings."

Miroku nodded and put a hand on his cohort's shoulder. "Kagome knows that. I'm sure she'll just be glad to see you."

Inuyasha blinked, understanding the gravity of what Miroku had just said. His ears flattened against his scalp. "Am I that obvious?"

Miroku laughed. "Only to me, evidently. As I said before, Sango believes you've found another woman. Kaede isn't sure what to believe. Shippou has no clue what's going on, but we felt it would be better that way. This way he doesn't get his hopes up or get on your nerves."

Inuyasha scratched his head nervously. "Thanks, Miroku."

Miroku waved in the direction of the village. "Come on, let's go get some lunch. I'm sure you're hungry."

"You bet I am!" he replied.

The started the short walk back to the village in silence. Inuyasha was glad Miroku had understood. He still wasn't sure what to say to Kagome, but he was sure he would know when he looked in her eyes. He just needed to be patient until nightfall.


	5. Appearance

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Five

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, but this idea is mine.

**A/N: Ok, so it's a little shorter than the last two...but it's longer than chapters one and two were! If you don't hate me by the end of this one, let me know what you think.**

Kagome scrubbed clean the last of the dinner dishes. She stacked them neatly in the dish drainer to the left of the sink, sure that she had done a job almost as good as her mother's. She wiped her wet hands on a nearby dishtowel.

Her afternoon had been so relaxing. She had managed to finish her book and get a little color to her pale skin. In the two years that she had been back, she had never managed to attain a tan as nice as the one she'd had back in the Feudal Era.

Her mother had called her in just as she had finished the last line in her novel. Dinner had been prepared and her mother had made sure that it was one of her favorites. Mrs. Higurashi had always doted on her when she had felt something was wrong.

Sota had shared his tales of the school day with them during dinner. Kagome had a hard time believing he was growing up. She still remembered when he was just a baby. She almost didn't want him to get any bigger, preserving him as the child who admired her.

Sota had taken it particularly hard when Kagome had come back to her own time without a certain half-demon. She had felt almost as bad for him as she had for herself. She didn't know when or how, but somehow Sota had grown particularly attached to Inuyasha. He had even asked the hanyou for advice about women.

Kagome laughed to herself when she thought back to that. As if Inuyasha would know what to say to any girl, let alone a girl from the modern era! He had the right idea about being honest and true to one's heart, but he was certainly not the premier person to go to for advice. Kagome mused that she would rather ask Miroku for advice than Inuyasha. At least Miroku had experience.

She set the dishtowel back on the countertop after folding it carefully. Her grandfather had told them all at dinner that he had a surprise for every one. She was excited to find out what it was, but she didn't let her hopes get too high. Knowing Jiichan, it was apt to be as boring as it could be exciting. He had a bad habit of choosing things that most people couldn't care less about simply because they interested him.

Kagome made her way to the living room where the rest of her family was relaxing. Sota lay on the floor watching the television. Mrs. Higurashi and Jiichan sat together on the sofa, chatting about nothing in particular. All of them turned their attention toward Kagome as she walked into the room.

"So," Kagome asked, "what's the big surprise?"

"Well," Jiichan began, looking nonchalant, "I felt we needed some pleasure around here. And spring is just the right time for fireworks. So I bought a few things and I thought we might spend an evening outside."

"Alright!" Sota exclaimed. He jumped up from his place on the floor, ready to get started.

Mrs. Higurashi laughed briefly at her son. "That was nice of you, Father."

Jiichan nodded, brushing off the compliment. "Sota, go fill a bucket of water and meet us outside. Your mother and I will go get the fireworks out of the shed." He turned his attention to Kagome. "You might want to change clothes, Kagome. It's supposed to be a rather chilly evening."

Kagome smiled at her grandfather. "I'm sure I'll be fine in this. I'll just run upstairs and get a sweater."

Without waiting for a response, Kagome turned and headed for the stairs. "I'll be right down!" she called.

She hopped briskly up the stairs, smiling. It turned out that Jiichan had a delightful surprise after all. She loved fireworks. She had even brought some back to the Feudal Era to share with her friends.

She recalled the looks on their faces as she lit the first sparkler. They had all seemed stunned and enchanted. It was like watching children. She couldn't help but laugh at them, which had set them all to laughing. It had been a wonderful night for their little group.

Kagome's heart ached. She missed her friends and missed sharing experiences with them. She had known that she would have to come back to her own time at some point, but she had hoped to at least be able to visit them.

She grabbed a light blue cardigan out of her closet and slid it over her shoulders. She didn't think she was going to get cold, but she didn't mind appeasing her grandfather from time to time. She knew he only had the best of intentions for her.

She glanced in the mirror next to her closet. Her hair was pulled into a loose ponytail, bangs fluffed attractively on her forehead. Her yellow dress and blue cardigan matched well, making her look more mature than she was. She nodded at her reflection in approval and made her way back down the stairs.

The rest of her family had already gone outside. She was the lone straggler in the group. Kagome contemplated if any of them had bothered to get a lighter or matches, but, knowing her mother, she was certain they were prepared. She walked leisurely to the back door, sliding it open quietly and slipping once more into her sandals.

Sota waved happily to his sister. "C'mon Kagome! Hurry up!"

Kagome's face erupted into a large grin as she hurried over to her brother. Her grandfather had set up a few different types of fireworks, waiting only to be told to light them. Mrs. Higurashi handed Kagome a sparkler. She lit a match and Kagome and Sota lit their sparklers at the same time, laughing playfully at each other.

Once her sparkler had fizzled out, Kagome looked up at the heavens. There was a half moon hanging low in the east. She was unable to make out any stars in the Tokyo sky.

That was another thing she fervently missed about the past. She had always been able to see a host of stars every time she looked up. It had been so wonderful to sit in the dark with her head on Inuyasha's shoulder and stare up at the bright pinpoints.

Kagome shook her head, trying hard not to think of the hanyou. This was her night, she affirmed. There was no reason to bring it to a melancholy close by thinking of days long gone.

Her grandfather lit off the first firework. It lit the sky with purple, green, and yellow bursts before sputtering out. Mrs. Higurashi had moved to stand next to Sota, her arms around his shoulders. It never stopped amazing Kagome how fast he was shooting up. Before she knew it, he would be all grown up.

Kagome picked up the bucket of water, bringing it to her grandfather. He tossed the cardboard of the first set of fireworks into it. It hissed as the heat met the cold of the water. She stepped back, holding the bucket at her stomach and looked at her mother and brother.

Kagome watched the two of them, a smile on her face. It was wonderful to be able to make up for the time she lost with them. Jiichan lit off the second arrangement of fireworks. These burned bright blue, red, and pink. As the last few sparks fell to the ground, something strange filled the air.

She felt a sizzle of familiar energy nearby. She would have recognized it almost anywhere. Her feet were frozen to the ground in their place. Her eyes fixed on the door to the well house.

"Inuyasha," she whispered.

oOo

Inuyasha stared at the setting sun. His stomach turned over on itself and his nerves felt like they were being lit on fire. His fear of rejection gripped at him. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.

Kaede walked up behind him, handing him a ribbon. "The ribbon ye asked for, Inuyasha. May I ask why ye require it?"

Inuyasha's head flew in the direction of the short priestess to his right. He was snapped out of his reverie. "I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know if I ever figure it out."

Kaede's face clouded over. "Inuyasha, if ye are thinking of another, be careful about whom ye tell."

Inuyasha scoffed. "What's all this about me being with another woman? Why does every one think they can give me advice all of the sudden? Since when is it any business of yours?"

Kaede turned to leave. "Many of us rely on ye, Inuyasha. Consider that before ye run headlong into something ye cannot take back."

With that, the elderly woman walked back to her hut. It wasn't long before Inuyasha heard more footsteps approaching. He wasn't in the mood for more words of counsel. He had just about all he could handle on his own, without having to worry about what the rest of them were thinking.

He leapt deftly to the branches of a nearby tree. Sango and Miroku walked by, hand in hand. The pair had grown close during their quest to slay Naraku. Now that things had settled down, they were engaged to be married. Inuyasha would never admit it, but he envied their relationship.

His ears perked at the mention of his own name in the conversation below. "I know, Miroku. I just…I guess I don't want him to give up on the idea of being with Kagome. I know how much she cared for him. She would be heartbroken if she knew that he was moving on."

Miroku stopped Sango, placing a loving hand on her shoulder. "Sango, it is none of our business what Inuyasha chooses to do and who he chooses to do it with. He is our friend, we should be happy for him if he's moved on."

Sango reluctantly nodded. "I just don't want him to have regrets."

"Too late for that," Inuyasha muttered to himself.

Miroku smiled. "Sango, my dear, it doesn't matter. Any man that lives his life without regret has missed an opportunity to learn and grow. Sometimes, that's how we come to be good people, through our mistakes."

Sango kissed Miroku's cheek. "You're right. I just don't like to see my friends suffer."

"That's what I love about you. Your big heart," he said.

Miroku pulled Sango into his arms, kissing her gently. Sango's arms encircled the monk's waist as she kissed him back. They broke, Sango placing her head on his chest.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and took off in the direction of the Goshinboku. He didn't have time to sit around and watch those two make out. He had to get the lilies he had picked for Kagome before it got too dark. With the ribbon that Kaede had given him, he would tie them into a bundle, a bouquet for her.

He had left the three dozen or so buds nestled in a pile on his favorite perch. He landed a few steps away from them, crouching down. Carefully, he arranged them and tied them together with the ribbon. He used the Tetsusaiga to cut the stems to matching lengths.

He held the bunch of flowers away from his face. They were almost perfect. He wished there was more he could offer her, but he prayed that these would be enough. He didn't have anything else to give her except himself.

Inuyasha ran a shaky hand through his hair. He was as ready as he would ever be to go to her. He couldn't be patient for another moment. He had to see her before he lost his nerve.

He jumped down from the Goshinboku, landing silently on the ground. He took off at a run in the direction of the Bone Eater's Well. His silver hair flew behind him, the strands shining in the light of the rising moon.

His pace slowed as he entered the clearing that housed the well. He thought back to all the times that he had gone through the well in search of Kagome, all the times he had gone to apologize to her. This well had seen a lot of their troubles, he sighed. This time wasn't all that different.

Inuyasha positioned himself on the edge and took a deep breath. It was now or never, he told himself. Before he could think of an argument, he jumped inside the well.

oOo

"See," Miroku said gaily, "I told you!"

Sango couldn't wipe the smile off of her face. "I can't believe it! I wonder what finally changed his mind."

Miroku shrugged. "I suppose we may never know. As long as they end up together, I'll be happy for them."

Sango nodded furiously. She let out a squeak of pleasure and clapped her hands. For once, she was glad she had been wrong about what she assumed was going on. She was giddy with delight at her error.

Miroku's face became serious. "I don't think we should tell Kaede or Shippou about all of this just yet. Just in case things don't go well, I don't want them to be disappointed. Besides, if he comes back with her, they'll both have a pleasant surprise."

"You're right. Do you think we should wait and see what happens? Or should we go back?"

"Well…It couldn't hurt to wait."

Sango smiled. She couldn't contain herself. She had to see what happened! She longed to see her friend again. She had so many things to tell Kagome. She was sure Kagome had much to share with her as well.

Miroku put his arm around Sango's shoulders. He didn't want her to be unhappy if Inuyasha came back alone, but he couldn't keep this secret from her any longer. He knew how much his love had missed her friend. He supposed that if any one should know about this most recent development, it should be Sango.

They turned their attention to the well and settled in to wait.

oOo

Weightlessness surrounded Inuyasha once again. He closed his eyes, willing the butterflies in his stomach to stop doing summersaults. When he felt ground beneath his feet, he opened his eyes again. He saw the fading blue around him in the darkness of the well house.

He quickly climbed out of the well. He adjusted his clothing, brushing off any dirt that might now be on him. He took a last look at the flowers, making sure they still looked as beautiful as when he had picked them.

He climbed the stairs, making no effort to be silent or stealthy. He could smell gun powder in the air, a smell which reminded him of the fireworks Kagome had shown him. He heard the popping noise of another one being fired off nearby.

Inuyasha paused for a moment at the door of the well house. He could smell Kagome. He had missed that smell for two long years. He inhaled deeply. He couldn't wait any longer to see her. He slid the door open loudly and stepped into the night air.

There she was. She was standing right in front of him, holding a bucket of water and looking right at him. She looked mature and beautiful. The yellow dress she wore came to her knees and she wore a baby blue sweater over that. Her hair had been swept into a loose ponytail. Sandals adorned her dainty feet. He almost couldn't believe how little she had changed.

"Kagome," he whispered to himself.

"Inuyasha!" she shouted.


	6. Convergence

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Six

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated with the series.

**A/N: Okay, so I know I made you all wait an UNGODLY long time for this update! (Well, ok, not that bad, but pretty long compared to how quickly I normally update.) I'm so sorry! Life has been kicking this humble author's butt lately. I've had the job search and many other things to contend with. Fortunately, my idea didn't die. It just took a little longer to get out. This chapter is subject to change down the line. I'm not sure I'm totally happy with the way it turned out, but I figured you all waited long enough for the update. So, thus, I posted it as soon as it was completed. Let me know what you think! Also, wish this elfie luck because, lately, I need it somethin' fierce!**

The wooden bucket clattered noisily to the ground. Kagome took off at a run for Inuyasha. He stood in front of the well house, staring at her. When she reached him, she flung her arms around him.

Mrs. Higurashi and Jiichan turned to see what was happening. When they saw the hanyou, they immediately understood. Jiichan lit the last two fireworks and went into the house with Kagome's brother and mother.

"What the-" Sota exclaimed as he was being dragged towards the back door. A glance behind him, and he understood. "Oh…"

Neither of the two wanted to break their embrace. The moment was filled with a kind of magic. The night sky sparkled with the assorted colors of the fireworks and Inuyasha could smell Kagome's hair. Then, suddenly, the scent of her tears filled his nostrils.

"Inuyasha," she sobbed into his haori. "I was so scared that I would never see you again!"

He brought his hand up, stroking her black hair. "Kagome…"he whispered. "I was afraid you'd never want to see me again."

Inuyasha pulled away from her, placing a finger under her chin and raising her face. He looked into her eyes, wiping away a tear with the pad of his thumb. He handed her the flowers. "Sango said that girls like flowers," he blurted out.

Kagome looked down at the stargazer lilies. She tried to speak, to thank him, but the flowers only blurred in her vision as tears began to roll at a quicker pace down her cheeks. "For…for me?" she stammered. Her lips quivered and she muffled a wail. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha! I shouldn't have said the things I said about Kikyou. I was angry and I-"

He placed a clawed finger over her lips. "It doesn't matter anymore. I was so stupid to let you leave, Kagome. I never should have let so much time go by." Kagome heard his voice break. "Please…don't ever leave me again."

Inuyasha pulled her into an ardent embrace. He held her tightly, as though he was afraid if he let go, she would run. Kagome put her arms around his back, encircling him just as intensely. She rested her head on his shoulder.

Her eyes widened in shock when she felt him begin to tremble. His breathing became labored, irregular. She pulled her head up just enough to look at his face. The small paths of tears could be easily identified on his cheeks.

Kagome's lips curled into a sympathetic smile. She stroked his hair to comfort him. He pulled her close again and she could feel his lips gently kissing the top of her head. She balled her other fist in his haori, clutching the fabric at his back tightly.

"Inuyasha," she started, quietly, "I knew you'd come back."

He sniffled a little, attempting to collect himself. "Yeah, well…I guess I should have done it a lot sooner."

Inuyasha looked down into her eyes. The beautiful chocolate brown pools staring back at him made him ache inside. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her face towards his, and leaned down to kiss her.

Her lips were soft against his. Her body melted into him as she began to kiss him back, her initial shock wearing off. Her mind raced. _Please God,_ she pleaded, _let this be real. Don't let it be a dream! Just give me this one little thing!_

When Inuyasha pulled away, breaking the kiss, Kagome's heart sank. She buried her face in his chest. It was all she could do to keep from crying again, but this time from happiness. She never thought she'd see him again. She was so glad he was standing in front of her.

Inuyasha sighed contentedly. He didn't know what he was going to do from here, but he knew that he was never going to leave Kagome out of his life again. His heart felt lighter just being around her. Things simply felt right.

Kagome gripped his hand and pulled him towards the house. "Where are we going?" he asked.

"Inside. I have to put these flowers in some water. I want them to stay fresh," she said.

He stopped in his tracks. "Kagome… I love you."

She turned back, her eyes meeting his evenly. "We can talk later. I just want to be with you now."

oOo

Sango gazed into the fire, scooting herself closer to it's warmth without even noticing what she was doing. Miroku placed a comforting arm around her shoulder and gave her a conspiratorial smile. Sango grinned back at him.

Though it was spring, the evening had grown unusually cold. Shippou had curled up in the corner and fallen asleep rather early. Miroku found himself surprised at Shippou's willingness to accept sleep so eagerly. He had assumed that he would fight to stay awake to be able to badger Inuyasha about where he had gone.

If there was one thing that Shippou loved in life, it was seeing Inuyasha angry. Miroku wasn't quite sure why it pleased the kitsune as much as it did, seeing as he often became the one to bear the brunt of the hanyou's irritation. However, much as he wanted to keep the peace, the little tiffs the two often found themselves in the middle of were their one true way of bonding with each other. In a way, it was endearing.

Kaede added more wood to the fire, poking it into a place where it would best catch the flames. She too felt the chill of the evening, her bones aching to remind her of her advancing age.

She cleared her throat pensively before speaking. "Miroku, I wonder, have ye noticed a greater number of demon attacks on human villages recently?"

Miroku's gaze shifted from the sleeping child to Kaede's aged face. "Now that you mention it, Kaede-sama, they have been increasing."

Sango nodded in agreement. "What do you think could be causing such a thing?"

Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Well, it cannot be Naraku. He has been gone for two years. And we know it wouldn't be the sacred jewel because we destroyed it."

"Yes, 'tis true. I fear we may be facing a new kind of evil. I sense a maleficent presence building power. But to what avail? What is its purpose?" Kaede wondered aloud.

Sango rubbed her hands together. She was nervous about what this could mean for the group. She was also curious as to whether or not Kagome would be able to help them this time.

Sango missed her friend dearly. She really hoped that Inuyasha wasn't in the middle of screwing things up any further than he already had. Despite her desire to see Kagome, Sango wasn't sure she wanted to have her return to such unpleasant circumstances.

"I guess," Sango conjectured, "it's just a matter of waiting. Whatever is doing this will reveal itself to us in due time. I just hope we'll be ready for it."

Kaede and Miroku nodded in agreement. Outside, the wind picked up, whistling loudly through the trees. The night seemed to get even darker.

oOo

Kagome's eyes fluttered open. Dawn was newly breaking outside her bedroom window. She sat up, confused. Looking down, she realized she was in her pajamas. Kagome tossed the covers aside and moved to the edge of her bed.

Suddenly, she remembered last night. The realization that she had woken up alone slapped her across the face. Panic gripped her. _Was it only a dream? Gods, please, don't let it have been just a dream!_

She looked around her room wildly. Inuyasha was nowhere to be found. Kagome fought back tears as she sat back down on her bed. _Maybe it was just a dream. I'm such an idiot!_

Kagome pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. _Maybe I just wanted to see him so badly that I made it all up…_She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let any of the rogue tears make their way down her face. The last thing she wanted was to spend more time crying.

She remembered how comfortable she had felt in his arms, lying on her bed, her head resting on his chest. She recalled the sound of his even breathing next to her. It couldn't have been a dream, she told herself. There was no way that a dream could have made her feel so safe.

Kagome felt the bed shift as some one sat next to her, placing a hand on her lower back. She was sure it was her mother or Sota. "Go away," she said, though it was muffled by her pajamas. She didn't even bother to open her eyes.

"You know I can't leave you like this," came the reply from her side.

Kagome's head snapped up and her brown eyes met Inuyasha's amber ones. The tears in her eyes began to fall from the respite that she felt. She threw her arms around his neck and held him tightly. Surprise lit Inuyasha's features.

"I was so afraid that it was all just a dream! When I woke up alone I was so scared that I hadn't really been with you last night at all!" she bawled.

Inuyasha's face softened, a small smile coming to rest on his lips. Some things never changed and he was glad that she still hungered for him so intensely, despite their separation. "Shhh," he comforted, "I'm here. Everything is alright. I wouldn't leave you like that."

Slowly, she began to regain her calm. Her breathing slowed and her tears stopped. She wanted to look at him, to talk about the night before, but she didn't want to leave his arms. She hesitated, resting there another moment.

Inuyasha was the first to break the contact. He pushed Kagome back so that he could look into her eyes, holding her at arms length with his hands on her shoulders. "Kagome?"

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? I never would have left the room if I'd known it would upset you like this."

She smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm fine. I was just afraid. But I don't have to be afraid anymore."

She sighed contentedly, her smile widening. "There were so many nights that I sat awake and hoped that you would come through that well for me, even it if it was just to fight with me. I half expected you to come through just to tell me I was wrong. But then, when you didn't come, I almost gave up. And, even though I wanted to give up altogether, my heart just wouldn't let me."

Inuyasha's hands dropped from her shoulders and into his lap. His face fell, ashamed that he waited so long. Kagome didn't wait for him to say anything.

"Every time I did something, I told myself that it was to forget you. But I could never do that. Not even if I wanted to. My efforts clashed with what my heart wanted me to do. Every time I had a wish, I wished for you. I knew that I would never be able to let you go, even if you had let me go," she said.

"I wanted so badly to be bitter. Part of me thought that it would be easier for me if I could just hate you. I wanted to hate you. I don't think it would have been that simple for me, even if I could have twisted my pain into hatred."

"I don't know if I can say that I ever believed in fate before all of this. I don't even know if I can say that I deserve the chance to make things right between us. What I do know is that I love you with all of my heart. I always have. And there's no way that I can ever be without you." She sighed. "I don't know if it was fate or destiny, but there was a reason for it. The universe was bringing us together."

Inuyasha was looking into her eyes now. Calm hope blanketed his face. He took her small hand into his clawed one before he spoke. "Kagome, there are some things that I just know. Some things that are just so right I can feel them in the depths of my soul. You were made for me; I know it without a shadow of a doubt. I know I could never again live without you either. I've tried it. I've never felt so hopeless or empty as I do when you're not around."

He paused and took a deep breath, glancing downward. He turned his eyes back to meet hers before he continued. He wanted desperately for her to know how sincere he really was in all that he was saying to her.

"I just know," he continued, "that I can't go on without you. I'll die if I don't have you in my life, Kagome. I'm not a whole person when you're not with me. I know that I made a mistake by letting you go. But, I swear, for the rest of our lives, I'll never make another mistake like that again if you'll just stay with me. Will you stay with me, please?"

His voice was thick with emotion and his eyes welled with tears as he spoke his peace. His face contorted with emotion. His last question to her sounded so distressed that Kagome's heart ached for her hanyou. She brushed her fingers against his cheek.

"Of course, Inuyasha. Of course, I'll stay with you."

Inuyasha felt relief flooding to every cell in his body. He smiled brightly and pulled her into a frantic, tight embrace. Several tears fell down his face, but he ignored them. He tilted Kagome's face to his, kissing her softly.

Kagome felt the fires of his sincerity burning in his kiss. He touched her as though she was the only woman that he had ever allowed into his heart. His passion was almost contagious, the ferocity of it consuming them both.

Her fingers began to entwine in the hair at the base of his neck, tracing lazy circles along the flesh. His hands, which had fallen to her hips at the beginning of the kiss, now slowly moved to the small of her back. He applied a small amount of pressure, easing her body closer to his.

Kagome could taste the tears that were falling from his eyes. She pulled away, wiping gently at his face with the fingers of her free hand. He smiled at her, genuine joy radiating from every pore. She was sure she could be content with drowning in his tears right then, as long as they held each other.

She wondered why they had never been able to admit their feelings to each other before. She contemplated chalking it up to the old adage about absence making the heart grow fonder. She pushed the thought from her mind as Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak to her.

"I meant what I said last night, Kagome. I love you."

She smiled. "You don't know how long I waited to be able to hear you say that."


	7. Patience

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Seven

Disclaimer: InuYasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own any of the original characters or plot ideas.

**A/N: Alright, this is a much quicker update for ya. I think this chapter turned out a lot better than the last one. As always, I'd love to know what you think. Also, I brought in a few more characters now. Things are starting to take off, more or less. We'll see where it goes.**

Sesshoumaru stopped dead in his tracks. The scent of the night air had changed. Something about it was fundamentally different, wrong, and it unnerved the youkai. Golden eyes clouded in concentration and a frown crossed his face.

He felt a small being thump against his leg. Jaken was obviously not paying attention to where he was walking, yet again. He heard the scurrying behind him as the green little imp rushed to his feet, brushing off any dirt that may have sullied his robes.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Why have we stopped?" queried the whiny voice at Sesshoumaru's knees.

Jaken was a small demon, hardly tall enough to be the same size as a human child. Soon enough, Rin would become taller than he could ever hope to be. As it was, Rin was already growing at an alarming rate. She had always been taller than he was, but now it was starting to become bothersome to the little demon.

He rustled his simple brown clothing with his tiny green fingers, shaking the sand off as best he could. He hated looking like a careless fool around his master. Jaken was quiet as he waited for his lord to answer him. He didn't want to further irritate Sesshoumaru by pestering him needlessly.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Something foul and filled with evil was nearby. He could feel its demonic aura in the pit of his stomach, strong and malicious. Whatever it was, it was vile to its very core, Sesshoumaru was quite sure of that.

Rin sat atop Ah-un, carefully observing the expression on her savior's face. He was deep in disturbed thought, a look that rarely graced his features. Then again, she reminded herself, just about any demonstration of emotion on his countenance was atypical. His appearance was usually a mask of cold indifference.

His face, she mused. He was the most beautiful man that she had ever seen. His flawless features caught the attention of many women, but he had little time or consideration for any of them. Rin deemed herself unbelievably lucky to be able to look on him each day. He was like an angel.

Sesshoumaru _was_ her angel. He had saved her, resurrected her when she stood on death's door. His golden eyes had been one of the first things she had seen when she had awoken, his beautiful white mane hanging near the two auriferous orbs. She knew then that she owed him her life and she intended to make good on it.

Though she was young, Rin knew this man had to be her destiny. He simply had to. Her heart called to him, but she knew that he would never hear it. She had vowed to follow him as closely as Jaken, never leaving his side unless he commanded it. When she grew older, she could only hope to serve him in a way that better pleased him.

Approaching her twelfth year, Rin knew that her body would soon be maturing at a speed equal to her heart. The thought that no other man would ever make her happy and the one that she wanted would never truly see her brought a melancholy twinge to her heart. A life of servitude was what she would lovingly resign herself to if that was her only chance to see her Lord everyday, to be near him.

His smooth voice brought her out of her reverie. "Jaken, do you feel this demonic aura?"

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru. It is quite strong! What do you think it could be?"

Sesshoumaru paused. "I do not know, but I am sure that I do not like its appearance here in the West. Tonight, we will return to the castle and tomorrow we will seek it out."

The group turned towards the west, headed for the Lord's castle. It had only been recently that he had acquired such a conquest, but Jaken and Rin at least were glad that he had. It was nice for the two of them to finally have a place to call home.

The large castle loomed on the horizon in the distance at the base of a mountain. From this distance, it seemed foreboding. However, upon coming closer, the lush gardens and focused guards put a traveler at better ease. The castle was certainly well cared for and no one could say that Sesshoumaru's army didn't respect the land of their lord.

The dog demon tribe had waited for some time to be able to reclaim the lands of the West. After Naraku's defeat, it had been relatively easy for Sesshoumaru to regain what was rightfully his, striking down the pitiful former lord of the castle. He supposed that he owed that, in small part, to Inuyasha, but he would never admit it to the half-breed's face. He would rather have his right arm cut off than be beholden to his brother.

Sesshoumaru arranged his clothing elegantly. He began walking towards his home without as much as a gesture to his two traveling companions. Rin and Jaken were used to this, and began to follow his lead wordlessly.

Rin's hand floated to her face. She wondered what tomorrow would bring for her lord. He would probably make her stay at the castle, a fate which she hated more than anything. She would worry constantly over his safety until he returned to her once more.

She sighed. "Hmm…"

oOo

Sango stared at the well in the pale light of the morning. She was waiting for something, anything, to happen. Miroku had shown her all that she had needed to see. Now it was just a matter of patience.

Inuyasha had been gone all night long. Something had to be happening between Kagome and the hanyou. Sango hoped with everything that she had that it was something good. Now, in the waning darkness, she lingered, searching for some sign of life from the well.

She had left her friends in their small hut sometime during the night. She had been far too restless to sleep. Miroku was surely sleeping deeply. He had been hard at work on constructing a hut for the two to live in after their impending nuptials. They had decided to stay in Kaede's village, since the exterminator village had nothing to offer but graves and memories.

She had hoped to have Kagome there on her wedding day. She hadn't been sure in the past how to brooch the subject with Inuyasha, being as he was the only person who would be able to bring her to the event. Now, if things went well, she might not have to.

Sango looked forward to her wedding. She would be glad to finally be attached to her beloved by more than just her heart strings. Even though they wouldn't be able to have a large ceremony, she knew that it would be made as beautiful as possible by all that attended.

In fact, the lord of a castle that their group had once saved from a demon had recently contacted them. He had heard of Miroku and Sango's impending marriage and wished to offer them a gift for, as he said, helping to preserve his way of life. He had sent five glorious Kimono to honor the ceremony.

He had sent garments for Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kagome, and Inuyasha. Sango had inspected them all, eyes wide with disbelief. Hers was the most stunning of the group. It was a silken white traditional wedding Kimono. It was, by far, the most impressive bridal Kimono she had ever seen. The embroidery looked as though it had taken a plethora of women many decades to complete. It was delicate and detailed. Sango was almost afraid to wear it, not wanting to compromise its beauty.

Miroku's was the time-honored black, simple and neat. Though the design was uncomplicated, the quality of the fabric was impeccable. She was sure that this would be the finest item Miroku would ever wear in his life. Even though it was no different from most other Kimono she had seen him in, she was giddy to see him in this one. Miroku had told her that it was only because of the symbolism behind it.

The Kimono sent for Inuyasha and Kagome were equally impressive. Inuyasha's was a deep blue, the color of the ocean during a harsh storm. He would look very handsome in it, she was convinced; though they had rarely seen him in a color other than that of his Fire Rat robe. Inuyasha was a very good looking man, his personality just got in his way at times. Kagome's Kimono was a bright red, a spring scene embroidered lovingly into the fine silk. Even Inuyasha was sure to tell her how striking she looked in it.

Shippou had been sent a fine little outfit for the event. His was a forest green kimono. It was simple and manly, very becoming for the little kitsune. Sango was sure that it would make him feel important and adult, something he tried very hard to be in their eyes.

Sango's body stiffened as she heard a rustling in the trees behind her. Her fingers tightened instinctively around the dagger resting in her obi. She turned to face whatever may have been coming her way.

Miroku emerged from behind a tree, hands held up in a gesture of surrender. "It's just me, my love. No need to worry."

Sango visibly relaxed. All the time they had spent hunting demons and fending off attacks had made her very wary of her surroundings. It was nice to be able to loosen up a little.

The monk smiled. "I thought this was where you may have come. Perhaps I shouldn't have told you about Inuyasha's intentions after all!" he joked.

Sango laughed nervously. "I know, I know. I should have waited until he came back, but I just couldn't help myself. I couldn't sleep at all because I was so worried about what might be happening between the two of them!"

Miroku placed a loving arm around Sango's shoulders. In the two years they had been betrothed, he had grown accustomed to her impatience in the same way she had gotten used to his sexual advances while they fought alongside each other. Miroku had to admit, though, the spoils of marriage were very worth giving up his flirtations with other women, even if it meant having to deal with Sango's short comings.

He aimed her in the direction of the village, slowly walking her back. Sango gazed wistfully at the Bone Eater's well for a moment, and then succumbed to her fiancé's wishes. She knew that there was much to be done in the village that morning and she probably shouldn't have been dawdling in the forest as it was.

Miroku squeezed the taijiya's shoulder. "It will be fine, darling Sango. I'm sure of it."

"I hope you're right," she sighed.

oOo

Kagome let the hot water rush over her body, feeling her muscles relax. She had left Inuyasha dozing on her bed. She needed to prepare for her day, needed to think about what the future would hold.

She wasn't sure what her next course of action should be. She was eager for the opportunity to see her old friends, her dear companions who had regrettably been left in the past. She had to wonder what Inuyasha would do, what she would do. Should she abandon one era for another? Live in the past and forsake the present? Live in the present, forsake the past? They couldn't go on defying time, could they?

Her destiny was so unclear to her at that moment. She hoped that somehow, the Gods would show her what course to take. She wished some divine being would appear and simply tell her what to do.

Kagome stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her wet body. There would be plenty of time to think of these things later. For now, she had to ready herself for the day ahead. It may have been the weekend, but she wasn't going to be resting. She had too many things to do, loose ends to tie back into the cords of her life.

She tossed the damp towel into the hamper as soon as she was satisfied with how dry she was. She looked at her face in the mirror before getting dressed. Her brown eyes were slightly puffy from the tears she'd cried earlier. She shook her head and turned her attention to her clothing.

Kagome slid into her underwear and snapped her bra into place. She pulled her blue jeans up over her slender legs and hips, zipping them noisily into place. The white tank top slipped over her head and came to rest in a pleasing way on her body. She looked at herself one last time in the mirror approvingly.

She opened the bathroom door and made her way back down the hallway towards her bedroom door. While she walked, she tied her hair into a tight ponytail to be sure it wouldn't hang in her face all day. Her feet made almost no sound on the floor.

When she came to her door, she opened it as quietly as possible. She didn't want to wake Inuyasha if she didn't have to. It had been an emotional time for the two and it hadn't even been a full day. She knew as well as anyone how much of a difference a night of sleep could make.

She opened the door only a crack at first. When she saw that Inuyasha was sitting up on her bed, no longer sleeping, she abandoned any efforts she had made at being stealthy. He had a picture frame in his hands and he was looking down at it. Kagome wasn't sure how to read the look on his face. It was a cross between nostalgia, melancholy, and regret.

"So you're awake," she said.

He looked at her, slightly startled. "Yeah, I didn't really sleep for long."

She looked at his hands again, pretending to notice he was holding something for the first time. "What's that?"

He held out the frame to her so that she could see it. Contained within was a snapshot of Inuyasha and Kagome together. The two of them sat beneath the Goshinboku, looking at each other pleasantly. Kagome didn't recall this picture ever having been taken.

Kagome's brows knit together in confusion. "Where did you get this?"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Your mom gave it to me this morning. She said she took it a few years ago, but she never told you. Then, after you came back and I was gone, she didn't want to upset you with it, so she never gave it to you."

Kagome sighed. "So my mother gave it to you this morning. What was she doing up so early?"

Kagome wasn't expecting an answer, but Inuyasha had one. "She told me that she wanted to get an early start on her day. She said she had some things to buy at the market, whatever that means."

Kagome grabbed her yellow backpack from the corner of the room. "Well, I don't know what she thinks she has to buy. I mean, she just went shopping a few days ago."

Without waiting for a response, Kagome moved to her closet. She began to pick out several outfits, hardly bothering to fold them before stuffing them into her bag. She moved to her dresser, cramming a few more items in her bag before turning her attention back to the boy on her bed.

"Well," she said, "I'm ready to go back with you for a few days. I'm anxious to talk to Sango."

"I'm sure she wants to talk to you too. I know she's getting ready for her wedding."

"You mean they haven't actually gotten married yet?" Kagome asked, stunned.

"Not yet, they haven't. Miroku's been building their hut for afterwards though. For now, they've just been living with Kaede. And for some reason, they all think that I'm trying to woo some village wench. As though I'd waste my time on that!"

Kagome laughed. "They actually think that you're in love with some random woman? No offense, but you're not exactly the type for romance."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest and played at being offended. "See if I ever bring _you_ flowers again!" he muttered.

Kagome was already at her bedroom door. She gestured at Inuyasha to follow her. "Are you coming?"

He sprang off the bed and followed her swaying hips down the stairs. He had always thought that she was sexy, but now he couldn't seem to think about anything other than her body. It had felt so good to have her pressed against him last night. He wasn't sure what he ever did to deserve a woman so gorgeous and devoted. One thing was certain: he didn't want to screw it up. He was lucky to even have gotten a second chance.

As the couple reached the kitchen, they were greeted with the sounds of rustling bags. A curious look came over Kagome's face as she rounded the corner to find her mother unloading a host of groceries. She knew her mother didn't need _this_ much at the store.

"What's all this for, Mom?" Kagome asked.

"Well," began Mrs. Higurashi, trying her best to keep the grin from her face, "I just sort of assumed that you'd be going back with Inuyasha for a while-and that backpack tells me that I might not be wrong! Anyways, I decided to pick up a few things for all of you."

Inuyasha's eyes lit up. "Does that mean you bought…ramen?"

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled. "Of course I did! I remembered how much you love it!"

Kagome smiled and shook her head. She was grateful to have a mother so understanding and loving. She didn't want to forsake the present for the past and leave behind the chance at more of these moments, but she had no idea what her next step should be. At any rate, she didn't want to think about it right now.

The next half hour or so was spent in mostly silent reflection as they prepared the items to take back with them. Inuyasha could sense Kagome's excitement, but there was something else, something more like incredulity, that stood out. He wasn't sure what it was and he didn't know how to ask her.

If there was anything that he knew about Kagome, though, it was that she would come clean with her feelings in due time. She always did. It was part of what he loved about her. She was always honest with him. She never kept him guessing or in the dark like other women were prone to do. He was confident that he would soon find out what troubled her.

Kagome couldn't help but think of the decision that was before her. Uncertainty was just about the only thing she was sure of. She hoped that Sango or Miroku could put things into perspective for her. They were a devoted couple. There had to be something to glean from their experiences.

She focused on the task in front of her. She grouped food items together by size to maximize space. It amazed her how quickly she could still do this, even after two years. She regretted not being able to get anything special for Shippou, but she was sure he would allow her a pass just this once.

Kagome stood up, satisfied with their efforts to bundle their supplies. "All done!" she declared.

Mrs. Higurashi stood next to her daughter. The two of them hugged and mother wished daughter a safe trip. Then she turned her attention to the hanyou standing next to her. She pulled him into a hug as well, which brought a startled and confused look to come to his face.

"Take care of her," Mrs. Higurashi whispered. "She's my baby girl."

Inuyasha whispered back, "I will."

Kagome took Inuyasha's hand in hers. "It's time to go."

He nodded. Inuyasha picked up the large bundle filled with rations and shouldered it almost effortlessly. The pair started in the direction of the well house.


	8. Resurrection

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all the subsequent characters and concepts of the series are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I do not own them.

**A/N: Thanks to all my readers once again. You would have had this update like a week ago, but my phone company hates me. Stupid, phone-shutting-off assholes...Anyways, it's here now. Thanks to Keruseyu326, Simonkal of Inuy, and Neko Lady for all the advice and opinions! I appreciate them greatly! Let me know what you think of this chapter. It's a cliffhanger, I know. Try to stifle the urge to kill me. Also, I've had complaints that I'm not getting to my mature content fast enough. It's coming, don't worry. I just want this to be a little more realistic and accurate for the way that I think Kagome would go about things. (You gotta work up to it, you know!) I swear, I won't disappoint!**

Blue light shimmered and faded. Kagome and Inuyasha found themselves on the other side of the well, back in the Feudal Era. She sighed, relieved that she was still able to make the journey. Part of her had been concerned that the well might reject her, force her to face the fact that her role in the story was permanently ended.

Inuyasha threw the bundle of food over the edge of the well. Unceremoniously, he hefted Kagome onto his back and jumped to the surface. He must have done this a thousand times before. After gaining his balance, he set Kagome on the earth once more. Her tennis shoes felt almost strange on her feet, unnatural.

The pair began to walk towards the village. Inuyasha's pace was slower, almost leisurely. Kagome was much more excited to get there. She walked speedily along, just barely under a run. Her jean clad legs stayed at her rigorous pace, despite the rough terrain. Each stumble was never afforded a second thought.

"Hey!" Inuyasha called.

Kagome stopped in her tracks. She turned around to face him with an annoyed look on her face. "What?"

"You have all the time in the world to get to the village. You don't need to run!"

Kagome laughed nervously. "Was I running? I didn't even notice…"

Inuyasha smirked. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know you're anxious to get back and see the others. I just figured you could enjoy the journey with me a little bit first."

Kagome blushed. "I wasn't trying to-"

Inuyasha put a finger over her lips. "I know. That's why I said something."

His clawed hand wrapped around hers. A smile lit up Kagome's face and she clasped his hand tightly. He gave her a toothy grin and led her at a much calmer rate toward the tiny hamlet.

Kagome had never paid less attention to her surroundings in all her life. Yet, as much as she'd wanted to break away from his grasp and run to the village, she was enjoying the feel of his hand within hers. Though they done this before, Kagome realized that this was the first time it had happened that she'd known how he felt for her. This was the first time it had actually been important, mattered in a fundamental way.

She blushed as she thought back to his startling confession. She had been so sure in her heart that they had already seen their end. Never in a hundred thousand lifetimes did she ever expect to see him again, let alone be standing next to him and holding his hand. For some reason, the Gods favored her. Even she wasn't quite sure why.

"KAGOME!" a shriek issued forth from the trees.

She jumped, torn brutally from her reverie. She spun around in the direction of the sound, sure that she recognized the voice, but not completely. It had changed, grown deeper. She saw the small figure sprinting towards her. Realization hit her and she placed the voice.

"Shippou?!" she asked, incredulous.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. It was just like that little nuisance to go and ruin his chance to be alone with Kagome. He knew that now that they were back in the Feudal Era, his chances to be alone with her would be few and far between. He also knew that whenever they might have a chance to be alone, it would be fleeting because they would be spied on from all angles. No one seemed to know how to mind their own business when it came to him and Kagome.

The kitsune child leapt at Kagome, landing squarely in her arms. He was a little bigger than she remembered. She looked him over. He had gotten taller, leaner as he had grown older. His hair had grown out as well, but he still kept it tied at the base of his neck. It was almost strange to see him this way without seeing the in-between stages of his growth.

Even his clothes had seemed to mature with him. His hakama were now a sea green, bigger than she had ever seen him wear. He wore a plain white shirt under his sea green haori, which he kept open. He looked just like a tiny, green, disheveled version of Inuyasha and it made Kagome giggle inwardly.

Kagome pulled him tightly against her. The kitsune began to cry tears of joy against her shoulder. "Oh, Shippou!" she exclaimed. "You've gotten so big!"

Shippou pulled himself away from her shoulder, eyes sparkling with tears and surprise. "Do you really think so, Kagome?"

She nodded with a smile. Inuyasha stepped forward, lifting the child out of her arms by his collar. "Really? He has? I hadn't noticed." Inuyasha pretended to inspect the boy.

Shippou crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, turning his head to the side defiantly. "You wouldn't even notice your own butt if your head wasn't in it so often."

Kagome flinched. She knew exactly what was coming. Inuyasha didn't hesitate to prove her right, slamming his fist down on the fox child's head. A lump started to form before his eyes and he tossed the kitsune to the ground.

Shippou's senses reeled. He had a difficult time, at first, focusing his eyes again. When his vision stopped cheating him, he saw that Inuyasha was walking away, dragging Kagome by the hand with him. Kagome gestured for him to catch up to them.

The fox scrambled to his tiny feet, struggling to keep his balance. He would catch up if he could just stand. "Oi, Inuyasha…"

Kagome rolled her eyes as Inuyasha tugged at her arm. "I think this is going to be a very long day."

oOo

Rin lay awake on her futon. The day had barely broken, but she could already hear the muffled sounds of the servants outside in the hallway. The days began very early for the dog demon tribe, but Rin had yet to even fall asleep. She knew that her day would be one spent fighting fiercely at the sleep that beckoned to her as temptingly as a shopkeeper with treats.

She sighed and begrudgingly sat up. There was no point in pretending to sleep any longer. At any rate, she didn't feel the need to appease an invisible guardian any longer. She had attempted to sleep like a good girl, which was all any one could ask of her. It wasn't as if they could force her to dream.

Rin picked up the coverlet and set it aside demurely, refusing to start her day by throwing things around angrily as she'd wanted to do. Lately, the thought that her destiny might never turn out the way that she had hoped had been enough to inspire rage in her young heart. She had never believed that life was fair, but the unfairness that she was beginning to see in the world around her sickened her to her very core.

Her unchecked rage had been spilling out of her at every chance she had to exhibit it. She was rude and uncouth with all the servants, breaking things and lashing out in any way she saw fit. She had even slapped a young servant girl across the face for tugging too hard at her hair as the maiden had brushed it. Afterwards, she had instantly regretted it, but it had been too late to take it back.

She knew that her childish ways had to be bringing shame to her master. However, as much as she wanted to serve him and behave properly to satisfy him, her anger came in bursts so intense that she had a most difficult time resisting the temptation to sate it. She knew that much of was linked with the way that Sesshoumaru treated her.

Rin had always been confused at the double-standard Sesshoumaru had where she was concerned. He had always belittled humans for being weak, yet he had never asked her to leave his side. He had even gone out of his way to save her from her human weakness. She had always assumed that he would train her to be his servant, but he had treated her more like a daughter. Even now, she was not expected to do any kind of work around the castle, despite her age and willingness.

Of her own will, Rin had begun to look after her lord's things. She had taken it upon herself to see to it that his chambers were properly cleaned. She scrubbed his clothing with her own two hands; though, the laundress often protested, as she believed she would be chastised for letting the young mistress sully herself with work. Rin had decided that she would force him to see her as a servant, even if he had chosen not to.

She had even gone so far as to move herself to the wing of the castle reserved for the servant's quarters. Sesshoumaru had once asked her why she had chosen such a fate for herself. Rin had never been able to answer, unwilling to tell him the truth of her feelings for him.

She sighed as she rose to her feet. She would have to bathe before she went into his room this morning. Sesshoumaru never liked his servants to go even a day without bathing. He had told them all that their stench had offended his nostrils.

Rin collected her belongings, including her Kimono for the day ahead. She slipped her feet into the zori that were intended for indoor use and grabbed the basket with her bath supplies. Quietly, she slid her door open and made her way to the bathhouse.

Many of the other servants began their day with a bath as well. The general consensus in the castle was that it was necessary to keep their master as pleased as possible. If modifying their hygiene habits would do that, they would happily modify them. Each of them had a reason for serving Sesshoumaru and it was always a good one. Generally, it was only the men in the house that didn't bathe as soon as they had awakened, but that had more to do with the nature of the hard labor they attended during the daylight hours.

When Rin entered the bathhouse, all the chatter stopped. It was as clear as glass that they had been talking about her. She rolled her eyes and set down her things, vowing to bathe as quickly as possible. She had very little patience for gossip and even less for gossip that concerned her master or herself.

She scrubbed at herself with a vengeance, red marks trailing behind her washcloth. For once, she was taking her anger out on herself instead of the other women in the room with her. Inwardly, she cursed them all.

How was it, she wondered, that Sesshoumaru favored her so much when she would never be a suitable companion for him? According the gossip, she shouldn't even be allowed to be in his presence at all. How did these women become blessed enough to be demons? Why couldn't she have been fated to be like her lord? Was it fair that these gossiping crows got to share his race and possibly one day his love when she, devoted, loving, and reverent, would never be allowed the chance to touch her lips to his?

"My Lady!" one of the women beside her exclaimed. "You must stop! You're bleeding!"

A look of confusion came over Rin's face. She looked down at her forearm. Sure enough, just as the woman had said, she had brought tiny pinpoints blood to the surface of her skin. She hadn't even noticed the pain.

"Thank you, Ryouko-san," Rin said with a nod. She put her washcloth down and stood up, reaching for the towel that she had hung on a peg above her. She dried herself carefully and dressed quickly, trying not to attract any more attention than she had already.

Her kimono was hardly something that Sesshoumaru would have deemed fitting for her. The rough cloth was itchy on her skin, but she cared very little. It was a plain dark indigo, the quality was the same that any of the rest of the servants would be found wearing. She didn't want to be set apart, feeling that it would only cause them to tittle-tattle about her further than they already had. The tabi on her feet were cream-colored and she focused on them while she left the room.

As soon as the door slid shut behind her, Rin could hear the whispers. She didn't need to have the inu youkai hearing to tell that it was about her. Rin stood as straight as she could, squaring her shoulders before making her way down the corridor. She stopped at a supply closet, grabbing a set of scrubbing brushes, a bucket, and several rags for dusting and polishing.

She chose to ignore the servants' comments. She had things to do to serve the ruler of the West. She wasn't about to let pithy chatter stop her from doing what she needed to.

Rin stopped outside Sesshoumaru's door, listening quietly for any sounds from within. She could hear the muffled voices of Jaken and Sesshoumaru loudly enough to make out what they were saying. She held her breath and focused on what was being said.

"She's growing unruly, my Lord. The servants are complaining that she's making twice as much work for them in other aspects of the castle chores," Jaken said. "They would like her to leave."

Her fingers curled instinctively into fists. Her jaw clenched tightly as she continued to listen. It was just like those cretins to ask Jaken to complain to Sesshoumaru. They were all too frightened to do it themselves.

"You may tell my servants that who stays in my castle is only _my_ business and none of theirs," Sesshoumaru replied bluntly.

"Can't you at least have a talk with her?" Jaken implored him. "She's always in poor spirits and often lashes out at the smallest little thing! It is impossible to get her to smile anymore! I don't know what's bothering her, but you're the only one she listens to."

She heard Sesshoumaru sigh, irritated. "I will discuss her behavior with her."

"Thank you, my Lord," Jaken said. Rin heard the sound of his small feet shuffling towards her. She backed away several steps, ready to pretend to be just walking up.

The door slid open and Rin sprung to action, taking several steps forward. She bowed politely. "Good morning, Master Jaken."

Jaken barely afforded her a nod. "Good morning, indeed!" he hissed as he walked in the opposite direction.

Rin entered her Lord's chambers and knelt before him. She bowed deeply, her forehead resting on her hands which lay flat on the floor. She waited for him to address her, but, when he said nothing, she took it upon herself to break the silence.

"Good morning, Lord Sesshoumaru."

He whirled in her direction, his eyes resting on her submissive form. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a deep red mark on her forearm. Sesshoumaru frowned deeply, wondering which of his impertinent servants had taken it upon themselves to punish his ward.

Soundlessly, he came to a stop before her. Sesshoumaru reached down and grasped her wrist in his hand. He yanked her to her feet by her arm and brought her face up to look at him. He pointed to her deep red mark with one clawed finger.

"Who has done this to you?" he demanded gruffly.

Rin's eyes widened and she focused them directly forward at his chest. "I-I did it…I wasn't paying attention this morning while I bathed. It was foolish of me to be so careless," she stammered.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and Rin could tell that he didn't believe her for an instant. Rin lowered her gaze and tried to pull her arm free of his grasp. He didn't let go.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, please release my arm. No harm has come to me at the hands of any of your devoted staff. They fear you far too much to ever touch me. They don't even speak in my presence."

He dropped her wrist from his grasp. She took several steps backwards, falling to her knees before him once more. He glowered at her pose, annoyed that she would bother with such formalities.

"Get up, Rin. I do not wish for you to serve me."

Rin's head shot upwards, her eyes wide with fear and shock. Her lip began to tremble and tears slid from her eyes. Sesshoumaru's face remained cold and hard.

"But…please, Master! I have to!" she pleaded.

"No, Rin. You do not have to serve me. I have enough servants. It is still my choice who I employ and who I do not."

Rin buried her face in her hands, fighting the sobs that threatened to rise from the lump in her throat. He could hear the sniffles that came from behind them, amplified by the space between her hands and face. He turned his back to her, having no desire to see her tears.

"I have no where else to go…" she whispered.

"No one has asked you to leave, Rin. However, I do not need you to serve me."

"But….but I want to! It's the only thing that I can offer you of any value. I have nothing to give you. I cannot offer myself to you because you dislike humans. My devotion is all that I have!" she wailed.

Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder at her. Her fists were balled in the fabric covering her thighs. Her tear-stained cheeks were turned up, wide and watery eyes staring at him. He shook his head at the pathetic sight.

"Rin, it is inappropriate for a girl of your age to serve the lord of a castle. I will not allow such improprieties to go on here. It would make me seem like a weak ruler if I let you go about doing whatever you wanted." He laughed quietly to himself, "Ruled by a twelve-year-old human!"

Rin nodded dejectedly, her eyes resting on her hands. She couldn't bear to look at him, to see the revulsion in his eyes for all the shame she must have brought upon him. Her tears began welling in her eyes again, threatening to spill across her cheeks once more.

"I do not want you to leave the safety of the castle, Rin. You will stay as my ward." He approached her, dropping to one knee. He put a finger under her chin, pushing it upwards so she would look at him. "I will teach you to protect yourself so that one day, when you are ready, you may rejoin your people and have a life. Your destiny is not among the youkai."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said properly, though the misery in her voice belied her feelings. "I will stay if it is what you desire of me."

"And please, return to wearing clothing befitting your position. I have bought you many beautiful Kimono. It would be a pity for you to let them rot in a chest. You do us both honor by making yourself presentable. I would also like you to move back to the room I had set aside for you initially. A charge does not belong in servant's quarters."

Rin's eyes were confused and disappointed. She never wanted to return to humans. Though they were her people, she had never learned to trust them. Most of them she didn't even like. Before she could stop herself, she found herself thinking of Kagome and Sango.

She wondered if they would take her in. They were the only people that she had ever come to trust, even respect. There had to be something that she could contribute to their group, some reason that she could be allowed to stay with them. There was no way that Kagome would ever turn her away.

Rin wiped her face slowly, taking deep breaths to stop her tears. _I'll just have to run away. I'll leave here in a week, so that he doesn't have to worry about me anymore. He only wants me to go back to the human world anyways. I never should have stayed this long. I don't belong in his world._

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I will do as you say. I hope I don't disappoint you."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I'm sure you won't. Now, Rin, go put on a kimono more befitting. And by the evening, I expect you to be back in your room, the room I chose for you."

Rin bowed slightly. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." She turned to leave, never bothering to pick up her cleaning supplies. Her tabi hardly made a sound as she padded softly back the way she came. The door slid shut behind her quietly and, once again, Sesshoumaru was alone.

For the first time in what may have been his entire life, Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a small smile. It was genuine and pure, leaving no hint of malice on his face. He wasn't sure what the feeling in his chest was, but it had inspired him to ask her to stay with him. He disliked it immediately.

oOo

Sango tossed another log on the fire. She was boiling water to begin the miso soup they would consume for breakfast. Sighing, she sat back and began to chop the vegetables for her soup. She wondered if Inuyasha would ever get back.

Kaede had been gone when she had returned with Miroku. She was needed in the village, as one of the families had fallen ill with a strange fever. Shippou had disappeared to the Gods only knew where. Miroku had left her to help Kaede with the sick.

Sango had decided that she would make breakfast for the others and take it to them. Shippou would come back eventually, he could eat then. In the meantime, she simply had to keep herself occupied to take her mind off of her excitement.

She heard a rustling behind her and turned in time to see Inuyasha pushing aside the bamboo screen. "Hello, Inuya-Oh my Gods! KAGOME!"

Sango leapt to her feet and ran to her friend. She threw her arms around Kagome's mostly bare shoulders, hugging her tightly. Kagome's arms came up to encircle Sango as well. Inuyasha had been pushed to the side by the woman's over-zealous reaction.

"Keh, women," he scoffed.

"You said it," Shippou agreed with a nod.

"Like you're any better! You couldn't stop yourself from bawling your little eyes out as soon as you saw Kagome! I wasn't sure if I was looking at Shippou or a waterfall," Inuyasha quipped.

"Oh, Kagome! I'm so glad to see you!" Sango gushed.

"It's nice to see you again too, Sango! I can't tell you how much I missed you all!" Kagome said, pulling back from the embrace to better look at her friend. "Inuyasha says you're not married yet. What on earth was stopping you?"

Sango laughed. "Well, part of it was that Miroku and I wanted you to be at our wedding. We had no idea how to ask Inuyasha to go get you without him getting mad at us. So we just kind of put it off."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and scowled. "I'm not that unreasonable, you know!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Sure, you're not. You just didn't talk to me for two years over something totally reasonable." Sarcasm was dripping from her words as thick as honey.

"What was the other part, Sango?" Shippou asked intently.

"Huh?" Inuyasha, Kagome, and Sango said together.

"Well, you said that part of it was because of Kagome. What was the other part?"

"Oh! Well, you see, Miroku and I wanted to build ourselves a home before we got married. He started building it a while ago, but it seems that lately he keeps getting distracted by demonic attacks on surrounding villages. They've been picking up a lot lately. We thought they would die down after the sacred jewel was destroyed."

Kagome's brows knit together. "You mean the demon attacks continued after I left?"

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, but they weren't anything that we couldn't handle. I mean, the demons were usually pretty weak. One slash with the Tetsusaiga and they were done for. Miroku and Sango rarely even needed my help with them."

"It's still pretty strange," Kagome said, slightly puzzled.

Suddenly, Inuyasha spun around in the direction of the door, whipping the bamboo screen aside. He sniffed the air cautiously and his hand drifted to the hilt of his sword. "What is it?" Sango asked.

"Don't you feel that presence?" he inquired.

Kagome closed her eyes, feeling the spirit swimming in her senses. It felt powerful, but she could tell right away that it wasn't a demon. This was something else, something sinister in its own right. "What is that?" she mumbled.

Miroku ran to the hut at his top speed. "Inuyasha!" he called as soon as he saw the hanyou. "Come quickly! Something's happening."

Inuyasha, Sango, and Kagome followed closely behind Miroku, matching his speed. They had to find out what it was that had such an odd presence. They followed the monk to the edge of the village. Something in the distance was glowing brightly along the horizon.

As they approached, the form came in to view. It was a woman. She looked very familiar from a distance. Inuyasha caught her scent on the wind and it was enough to stop him dead in his tracks. Sango and Kagome stopped just ahead of him.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in between gasps for breath.

"That…that woman…we know her."

Kagome looked closer at the woman. It was hard to see who she was with the bright light masking her form. As it drew closer, the light dimmed and her face became clear to Kagome.

"K-Kikyou?!"


	9. Divine Intervention

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Nine

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is property of Rumiko Takahashi and Sunrise Studios/Viz Media. I do not claim ownership to anything by my original storyline.

**A/N: Alright, loyal readers, I know you've waited a while for this. I wrote it probably a week ago, but I spent more time than usual tweaking it until it felt right. So, what you have here is the best version of this chapter I can give you, even if you had to wait for it. Hopefully you'll all think it's worth it.**

**Also, I want to let you all know that I'm going to be moving in the next few weeks here so my personal life is going to be very very busy. I'd say it would be reasonable to not expect an update from me until around Halloween-ish. I know that's a long time, but I've got a lot of things to do. My birthday is friday, I've got to pack to move, I've got to do the actual moving part, and then there's the unpacking. I'll be busy for quite some time. But, I swear, I'll update as soon as I can!**

The four of them stood in silence, staring at the figure before them. The blinding light surrounding the woman began to dim. Her face became clear to them.

Inuyasha turned and faced the opposite direction. He didn't even want to look at Kikyou. It couldn't be real, he assured himself. She couldn't really be standing there. He had watched her die when they fought the final battle with Naraku. His eyes had to be in the wrong.

He heard Kagome's soft gasp behind him. "K-Kikyou?!"

Sango and Miroku let out a sound of mutual confusion. Miroku took a tentative step forward, gripping his staff. "What are you doing here? Didn't you die in the battle with Naraku?"

Kikyou's lips parted and she began to speak. The sound that came out was ethereal, her voice amplified by many other voices. "Yes, I did die. But I have been resurrected by the Gods to serve a purpose. My time is short, so you must listen closely."

Kagome's brows knit together. "But you're dead! What do you mean by serve a purpose? What are you supposed to do?"

Something struck Inuyasha as very strange. The way that she spoke and the strange sound of her voice made him shudder. She smelled like grave soil and death, musty and of the earth.

He turned to look at her. She was dressed as she had always been in life. She wore red hakama, a white kimono shirt, chihaya haori, and zori. It was the simple garb of a priestess. Yet, something in her mannerisms suggested that she had no business wearing the clothing of a priestess. She was something more, different.

Kikyou, or whoever she was, took a step toward Kagome, holding out a hand. Kagome unknowingly stepped back, colliding with Inuyasha. His hands encircled her upper arms as he righted her, setting her to his left and stepping forward.

"Something is different about you…something I don't like."

A group of villagers ran up behind them and collectively gasped. One of them stepped forward, pointing at Kikyou. "She's…she's a SAINT!"

The villagers fell to their knees and began praying to the Gods. Kikyou, who was still casting a faint glow, must have looked very heavenly to them all Kagome guessed. She stepped forward and placed a milky white, glowing hand on Inuyasha's forehead.

Inuyasha fell to his knees. "Kikyou!" he screamed.

Kagome started to run to him, but Miroku grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back. "Let me go! She's hurting him! She's trying to purify him!"

Miroku fought Kagome back while Sango tried to reason with her. "There's nothing we can do. We can't let her hurt you too!"

"Do not be afraid. I will not harm him," Kikyou reassured them.

Inuyasha felt a white light envelope him and a quiet surround him. He tried to say something, to make any sound, but nothing came out. The only other person with him in the light was her, this facsimile of Kikyou.

Images began to pass before his eyes. He saw himself following her in the treetops. He watched himself watch her slay demons. He saw the evil that he had done before he met her. Mostly, he saw the woman that he had fallen in love with more than fifty years before.

Then, something very strange happened. He saw her hand him the Shikon no Tama. He saw himself wishing to be a human, to be with her. He was no longer a half-demon, but instead a man.

More unfamiliar images flooded his mind. He saw Kikyou in a peasant's kimono, huddled over a fire and preparing food. He saw her tending children that he had never seen before, children that resembled her. He saw her kissing a human man. Several more images with the man passed before he realized that the man was himself.

Inuyasha gasped and his hands flew to his face. He felt for fangs that never met his fingers. His hands moved higher, searching desperately for the furry ears that were no longer on his head. He dropped his fingers lower, attempting to find the Rosary of Subjugation, but the cold beads never met his touch.

"No," he whispered to himself. "This isn't right! This can't be right!"

He grasped his head in his hands as it throbbed in pain. He doubled over, his knees coming up to rest against his torso. More images shot through him, a barrage of things he had never hoped to see.

Kikyou shooting an arrow at him as she bled from a deep wound to her shoulder. Kagome, covered in her own blood and dying in his arms. The bodies of his comrades littering the ground at his feet, blood staining his clothes. Panicking, he looked down at his own hands. They were covered in blood, but there wasn't a scratch on him anywhere. Terror filled him.

"No! I would never do this! I would never hurt them!" he screamed at the emptiness that surrounded him now.

He flailed his arms wildly in front of him, hoping that it would dispel the awful things he was seeing. He felt his forearms connect with something. Without warning, he was back in the field, Kikyou standing before him.

"It was all lies…" he said to himself. "It was all a bunch of lies! And you!" He pointed at the priestess in front of him. "What were you trying to do to me?! You're no saint at all!"

Kikyou attempted to place a hand gingerly on Inuyasha's shoulder, but he jerked quickly away from her. His eyes focused on her, calculating and wary. She sighed quietly.

"The images that you came to see, they were frightening?" she asked.

The hanyou nodded and Kikyou went on. "These were the images of what may be. They are things that could come to pass should you be unable to control your demonic nature. The Gods are telling you to be careful and make your choices wisely, lest your friends be forced to suffer the consequences of your foolishness. Consider these things carefully before making decisions."

Kikyou stepped back, steepling her fingers in front of her chest. A light shone between her hands, this one a different color. The brilliant blue and purple of the light made them look away, squinting their eyes against the brightness. Kagome heard a sound that reminded her of something tapping against a wine glass. She felt a force, a power crackle through the air around her.

The light faded and they could all look at the saint again. She clasped something small in her fist. The energy it had taken her to create whatever it was that she held must have taken most of her power. Kikyou now looked peaked and weary, as though the effort it was taking her to stay standing was more energy than she had left to expend.

"Kagome," she said, her voice soft, "I have not the energy to bring this to you. Please, come to me."

Kagome swallowed hard. She worried that Kikyou would try to use her power against her, but she chided herself for even entertaining the thought. _She can hardly stand, let alone try to purify anything. There's no way she could do anything to me._ She took a tentative step forward before she felt Inuyasha's hand close around her ankle.

Kagome nearly stumbled, but gracefully kept herself from falling to the ground. She looked down at Inuyasha, saw the worry covering his face. "Don't do it, Kagome. Don't trust her."

Kagome gave him a faint smile, her fear showing through despite her pains to keep it hidden. "It's ok, Inuyasha. She doesn't have that much power left anyways. She won't be able to do anything to me."

Kagome pulled her ankle out of his grasp. She took several more steps, until she was only a foot away from the other woman. She heard Inuyasha stand behind her, sensed that his hand was resting on his Tetsusaiga. She took a deep breath before she spoke.

"What is it, Kikyou?"

"Listen to me very closely, girl. Now is not the time for questions as I do not have much time left." Kikyou placed a hand over Kagome's heart. "The road ahead will be filled with tragedy and loss. There is nothing that will make this easier for any of you. A new evil is coming and it is much stronger than any that you have faced before. Some of you will not live to see your victory."

Kagome let out a faint gasp, but Kikyou ignored the sound. "You will have to be strong. There will be times when all you have to follow will be your heart and your intuition. Do not doubt yourself, child. The Gods have given you this gift for a reason. Life may not always be fair, but there is a reason for everything. Do not forget this, for it will serve you well in times of trouble."

Kagome felt Kikyou's hand growing warm over her shirt. She could tell that something was happening and there would be no easy way for her to explain it. The area surrounding her morphed, changed into her era. She was standing before the well house with Kikyou, watching as a barrier began to surround it.

"This time, these things, they must be behind you now. You are needed here. This is your home now. When the journey is finished, you may return if it is your desire. Your family will not worry, the Gods will see to them."

Kagome's eyes filled with tears. Kikyou's hand grew warm again and the landscape returned to the way it had been before. "Child, you have always known that the Feudal Era was your destiny. Modern Japan may have been where you were born, but it is not what you were meant for."

Several tears escaped Kagome's eyes. Inuyasha could smell the salt of them. His face shifted to indignant anger and he began to shout. "What in the hell are you saying to her, dammit?! Why is she crying?"

Kikyou ignored his question. She grabbed one of Kagome's wrists and brought it up, her palm facing the sky. Kikyou placed her fist down over Kagome's hand and released what she had been hiding in it. It was cold and spherical, familiar in every way. As Kikyou pulled her hand away, Kagome saw the familiar sparkle.

Time stopped and Kagome felt as though her heart had stopped as well. There it sat, in the palm of her hand. It was the thing that they had fought so hard to recover, the artifact that had cost so many their lives. They had shattered it, recomposed it, destroyed it, and been done with it. Yet, there it sat.

"The Shikon no Tama," she breathed.

"You will need it. The time will come when you will have to use it. Until that time, do not let it fall into the wrong hands. You will know when the time has come. In using it, you will destroy it forever. That is the only true way to dispose of the jewel."

Kikyou's eyes met Kagome's as she continued. "Heed this warning, girl, and heed it well. After you have completed your destiny and the Shikon no Tama has ceased to be, the Bone Eater's well will lose it's power. You will only be able to use it one last time, so the decision must be made quickly. You will have to know, in your heart, that you truly want to go home for the last time."

Kikyou removed her hand from Kagome's heart, placing it over the young woman's forehead. The edges of Kagome's vision began to go black. She started to fall backwards, consciousness leaving her. The jewel fell from her fingers, clattering noisily to the ground.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, running forward to catch her. In his hurry to help the woman he loved, he hadn't even noticed the jewel.

oOo

Kaede placed the cold, wet cloth over the sleeping child's eyes. She muttered a short prayer to the Gods, hoping that the family she was tending would soon be returned to health. There wasn't much that she could do for them. She had given them as many healing herbs as she could and tended them as best as an old woman was able.

Kaede sighed. She resented growing old. She knew that it had provided her with wisdom that had helped many of the villagers over the years. She simply hated that it had to take such a toll on her body as well. She would never wish to be young again, but she did wish that her arthritis would stop bothering her.

The elderly priestess turned, wringing the water from another cloth to place over the forehead of the lady of the house. A commotion outside drew her attention away from what she was doing. With a loud grunt, she hauled herself to her feet and over to the doorway of the home.

She shoved the bamboo screening to the side, looking out into the street. Many of the villagers were running in the direction of a strange light. Kaede reached out, catching the sleeve of one of them.

"What is happening? Where are ye going?"

"There's a saint on the edge of town. Some of the other villagers are saying it's Kikyou!" the man exclaimed. "The Gods have returned her to us!"

Shock filtered over Kaede's face. The others had told her that her sister had died facing Naraku in his final battle. Could it be that they had been wrong? Could Kikyou still be alive?

She decided that she had to know for herself. If Kikyou was alive, she was sure that her sister would not want to spend the rest of her days as a maiden of clay, a false human with false hopes. Something would have to be done. If it wasn't Kikyou, well, she wasn't sure what she would do.

Kaede gathered her bow and arrows before leaving the hut. She set off in the direction of the light as quickly as her old bones would allow her to go. She was careful of where she stepped, knowing that her journey could come to a premature halt if she misplaced her feet.

As she neared the clearing at the edge of the village, she could see Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Inuyasha. Inuyasha was standing behind Kagome, who stood before a woman banked in the beautiful light of purity. Kaede could feel the spiritual energy moving through the air in waves.

She recognized her sister's power instantly. This was, undoubtedly, Kikyou. But what was she doing here? She was a human again; Kaede could tell from the shift in her energies. As Kaede began to step forward, Kagome passed out.

Inuyasha raced to the falling girl, catching her just before she would have hit the ground with a thud. He shrieked obscenities at Kikyou that no one seemed to be paying attention to. Then she saw it.

Kaede's vision came to rest upon something sparkling in the grass. The sunlight drew a purple glow from the item, a glow that was vaguely familiar to the old woman. Realization dawned on her. "The Shikon no Tama?" she said aloud.

Miroku and Sango turned to face her as she stepped forward, her intention to pick up the jewel. Kikyou held a hand out to her sister, staying her. Kaede stopped obediently.

"Where have ye come from, sister Kikyou? Why have ye returned?"

"My dear sister Kaede, I cannot stay. The Gods have given me the task of bringing this jewel back to Kagome."

"But why, sister? This jewel has brought nothing but evil and harm to those who have it!" Kaede protested.

"The Gods have wished it, Kaede."

"This does not make sense!" the elderly woman exclaimed.

"My time is at an end and I fear I will no longer be with you soon. Know this, sister: I had no regrets in life. There is purpose to all," Kikyou disclosed.

A strong breeze picked up inexplicably. The day had been cloudless and calm before. Kikyou's body turned to ash before their eyes, the wind scattering her away. A whimper escaped Kaede's lips before she could stop herself and a single tear ran down her cheek.

She continued forward and picked up the Shikon no Tama. She held it up, inspecting it as it sat between her fingers before closing her fist around it. Kaede turned, looking down at the fallen form of Kagome.

"Come, child, bring her back to my hut. We will look after her there," she said to Inuyasha.

He nodded, standing with Kagome cradled in his arms. He hoped that she would be alright. Inwardly, he cursed himself for letting her go to Kikyou. He knew that something wasn't right. It bothered him even further that he, with his superior hearing, hadn't been able to hear what she had said to Kagome. It was one of the few times that his senses had failed him.

Miroku and Sango trailed behind them. Sango was still covered in goose-flesh. Seeing the dead standing before them had been disconcerting, to say the very least. She felt a strong sense of foreboding.

Miroku clutched tightly at his prayer beads and kept silent as he walked on. He wasn't sure what he could say to help the situation any. Moreover, he didn't want to risk angering Inuyasha, or worse, angering the Gods that were evidently paying very close attention.

Before he could take another step, however, he felt something latch on to his leg and tug. Miroku, without looking, let out a loud yelp and shook frantically at his leg. The creature wouldn't let go. "Away, foul creature!" he yelled as he shook harder.

"Miroku, stop! It's just Shippou!" Sango cried as she reached out to pull the kitsune off the monk's furiously swinging appendage.

Miroku stopped as soon as the reality had dawned on him. "Heh, what are you doing there Shippou?" he asked incredulously, obviously embarrassed at the severity of his overreaction.

Shippou sat on the ground for a moment, looking dizzy and confused. "What in the heck did you do that for?!" he cried as soon as he'd gained back some of his bearings. "I was scared so I came up to you and you kicked at me!"

"Wait, Shippou, you saw what happened? Where were you?" Sango asked.

"I was hiding in the trees! When you see a glowing lady dressed like a priestess, you don't ask questions. You hide! Especially if you're a demon," he explained, his arms swinging wildly as he gesticulated his point.

His eyes came to focus on Inuyasha's back as he retreated to Kaede's hut. "Hey! Wait for me!" he cried, scurrying to catch up.

Sango and Miroku exchanged glances and shrugged. They continued following Kaede, anxious to hear what Kagome would have to say upon waking up. Something strange was going on and they needed to determine exactly what it was.

**A/N: Chihaya haori is a term mentioned later in this page. It is a thin, white haori worn by Miko in shrine related duties. This is NOT something Kikyou wore all the time, fyi. Also, it is traditionally only called Chihaya, but I wanted to get the point across that it was a form of haori.**


	10. Considerations

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Ten

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all subsequent characters mentioned in this chapter DO NOT belong to me. They come from the brilliant mind of Rumiko Takahashi.

**A/N: Alright, I know I said I would update many many moons ago, but life's been busy!!** **For one thing, my computer had to be rebuilt. Let me just say that that is not an endeavor I'd like to have happen again. I didn't like being without it! I had a job as a temp and now I'm done with that. AAAAND, somewhere in here I have to find time to register for classes at the local college. Yikes! Sorry this is late and that it doesn't accomplish too much. The next one will be better. Believe me, I've already started it!**

There was a dull throbbing in her head that made her want to keep her eyes closed. She let out a gentle moan, not wanting to move at all. She felt a body next to her stir. Kagome's hand went up to her forehead and she slowly, painfully opened her eyes.

Inuyasha knelt over her, a concerned look plastered over his features. She tried to sit up, but he placed a hand on her chest, pinning her to the floor. "Don't move yet."

Kagome blushed at him, but nodded her assent. Inuyasha, having seen the dark red she was turning, removed his hand as speedily as he could. He blushed himself and averted his eyes to try and conceal his own embarrassment.

Kagome fought the urge to giggle as he awkwardly lumbered to his feet. He scratched the back of his head and pretended look around the room with great interest. Even when he was nervous, he was still gorgeous. He would probably be a model in her era, Kagome mused.

"You know what?" she began, the volume of her voice startling to her. Inuyasha turned to meet her gaze and waited for her to continue. She pressed her fingers to her temples in an effort to forcibly make the throbbing cease before she went on. "It's been a very strange day."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Don't you think strange is a bit of an understatement, Kagome?"

"In the grand scheme of things? No. I mean, falling through a well to another era is life-altering. Falling in love with a hanyou who wanted to kill you from the first moment he met you is almost the definition of insane. Flunking out of school because you're busy saving the past is completely ridiculous. Strange, however, is just about right for this afternoon. There's just no other word for it."

Inuyasha was scowling at her. "The definition of insane, huh? Gee, thanks. I didn't get you anything."

It was Kagome's turn to roll her eyes now. "Oh please! You know what I meant!"

She started to sit up, but winced with the obvious effort it took. Inuyasha was at her side in an instant, never stopping to consider that only a moment before he had been displeased with her. He gently propped her up, his arm behind her back to support her if she should begin to feel woozy.

Kagome gave him a weak smile. "Thanks. I don't know why I feel so weak all of the sudden."

"Probably because a long-dead priestess tried to suck the energy out of you earlier," he ground out.

"But it just doesn't seem to me like that's what she was trying to do!" Kagome argued. "If she wanted me to be dead, I'd be dead already--especially if she was being honest when she said that the Gods gave her the chance to come back."

"I just don't trust her. I don't trust any of this. More demon attacks on neighboring villages, more problems, and more risk. Not to mention the jewel."

"The jewel?" Kagome asked, genuinely confused.

"You don't remember Kikyou giving you the Shikon no Tama before you passed out? You dropped it when you fell," he reminded her.

Kikyou's words rushed to the forefront of Kagome's mind. In an instant, she recalled the events of that afternoon. She knew that she would have to decide if the past was more important to her or if her future and the realm of endless possibilities that it offered were of a greater importance. The road ahead of her, no matter where it lead, would be difficult and, at its end, choices lay waiting.

Kagome nodded. "I remember now." She debated with herself about whether or not she should tell him what Kikyou had told her. She knew that eventually she would have to tell him, but she wanted her decision to be her own.

Kagome stared at the floor while she considered the enormity of her position. She wanted to be with Inuyasha. She had always wanted to be with him. Yet, she struggled with the notion of telling him about Kikyou's warning that the well would close. She wanted him to be the hanyou that she fell in love with, not a boy who was trying his hardest to get her to stay with him because she might be gone some day.

"Are you even listening to me?" he demanded.

Kagome was startled out of her reverie. "Oops! Sorry, I was just thinking. My mind is a little bit scattered right now."

Inuyasha squatted down in front of her on the floor of Kaede's hut and looked at her face intently. "Are you sure you're alright?" His amber eyes flashed with worry.

Kagome smiled warmly at him. "Of course I'm sure. I just have a lot of things to think about. Honestly, I'm a little bit worried about what the jewel being here again could mean. I don't think I like where all of this is headed."

Inuyasha nodded and gently pulled Kagome into his arms. A look of surprise washed over her face before she relaxed it against the muscles of his chest. The notion that he cared for her was still new to her and she surmised that it would be a difficult transition to make. She had no idea when she would no longer be taken aback by his show of affection, but she longed for that day to come.

The smell of her hair filled his nostrils and he breathed it in deeply. She felt right in his arms and it occurred to him, maybe for the first time, that she always had. He had to fight the urge to squeeze her tighter and never let go. He wanted to protect her, to make sure she was safe. From now on, he vowed inwardly, she would not leave his sight.

Kagome thought back to that night in her bedroom and all that they had talked about. The image of his eyes filled with tears flooded her memory and her heart contracted in pain for him. She remembered what he'd said to her that night.

_Inuyasha was looking into her eyes now. Calm hope blanketed his face. He took her small hand into his clawed one before he spoke. "Kagome, there are some things that I just know. Some things that are just so right I can feel them in the depths of my soul. You were made for me; I know it without a shadow of a doubt. I know I could never again live without you either. I've tried it. I've never felt so hopeless or empty as I do when you're not around."_

_He paused and took a deep breath, glancing downward. He turned his eyes back to meet hers before he continued. He wanted desperately for her to know how sincere he really was in all that he was saying to her._

"_I just know," he continued, "that I can't go on without you. I'll die if I don't have you in my life, Kagome. I'm not a whole person when you're not with me. I know that I made a mistake by letting you go. But, I swear, for the rest of our lives, I'll never make another mistake like that again if you'll just stay with me. Will you stay with me, please?"_

_His voice was thick with emotion and his eyes welled with tears as he spoke his peace. His face contorted with emotion. His last question to her sounded so distressed that Kagome's heart ached for her hanyou. She brushed her fingers against his cheek._

"_Of course, Inuyasha. Of course, I'll stay with you."_

Kagome let out a long sigh and circled her arms around him. She didn't know where her life was headed. She didn't know if she'd get to be with her hanyou or not. One thing she did know, for now at least, was that she would hold him and not let go. She would cherish him because the future was uncertain.

oOo

Sango sat under a tree and sipped water. She wondered about the events of the afternoon and what they could mean for every one. She hoped that things would still work out for all of her friends. Most of all, like every bride-to-be, she hoped that it wouldn't put a damper on all of her wedding plans.

Miroku stood in the distance talking with Kaede and she admired him from afar. There were times when she found herself wondering why she would ever be interested in such a pervert--mostly when he was proposing to other women. Then there were times like today, times when she relied on him to be her support and he willingly accepted the responsibility.

Miroku noticed her persistent stare and waved at her, smiling slightly. Sango blushed and waved back at him sheepishly. She felt like a fool for staring at her own fiancé, but sometimes she simply couldn't help herself. His blue eyes were so gorgeous, his body so lean and sexy, and he was absolutely adorable. Even Kagome had agreed that Miroku was an attractive man.

There were plenty of things for Sango to be doing, which made even her wonder why she was sitting idly by watching the others. She could at least proactively say that she'd cleaned the dishes from earlier. She needed to start cooking for dinner, but she didn't want to disturb Kagome. So, much like most of the other members of their party, she had decided to take a break as well.

Shippou lay next to her, sleeping like the dead. Sango was fairly certain that even a typhoon wouldn't be able to wake him at this point. She had to admit, if any one needed sleep, it was certainly Shippou. When he didn't get enough rest, he was irritable, which often caused him to start fights with a certain unkindly hanyou. Lately, he'd been over-exerting himself just to get attention.

"Maybe now that Kagome's back Shippou will calm down," Sango said, more to herself than any one else.

"It's possible," Miroku mused distractedly from above her.

Sango had been paying more attention to her own thoughts than to what Miroku had been doing after all. It was a fact that made her feel both vulnerable and somewhat better. She was taijiya; she should have a grip on her surroundings at all times. Yet, it did make her feel a little less awkward to know that she hadn't been gawking as much as she thought.

She smiled warmly up at him and extended an arm for him to pull her up. He took it gingerly and aided her to her feet, not missing an opportunity to kiss her lips when she reached him. His sudden show of affection didn't faze Sango any more. She was beginning to get used to the idea of him wanting her attentions all the time.

"You know," she mumbled, "we really ought to get back to the hut. I need to start cooking for every one. I'm sure that Kagome is awake by now."

Miroku nodded in agreement and released his hold on his lover. Before turning to follow her, he knelt to pick up the sleeping Shippou and carry him back to a safer area. The edge of the woods hadn't been perilous in the past, but with the increased demon attacks in the surrounding areas, Miroku didn't want to take a chance.

Shippou stirred slightly as Miroku lifted him into his arms, but never awoke. Miroku was fairly certain that Shippou could be eaten by a bear and sleep through the entire thing. Some day, the fox child would wake up in something's belly and wonder how he ever came to be there.

The monk chuckled at his line of thinking while speeding up to catch up to Sango. Kaede had already begun the trek back to the village. They would all arrive at the same time. It was fortuitous that Sango still had to make the dinner preparations because it would give them all time to discuss the events of the morning.

The evening sun was beginning to set in the sky, tracing beautiful shadows along the forest floor. It was a sight fit for lovers and Miroku wished he had more time to spend alone with Sango. For a moment, it occurred to him that things might never settle down enough for them to marry and he felt a twinge of desperation.

He cast the thought from his mind a put a merry expression on his face. He wasn't going to let his circumstances keep him from the woman that he loved. There was no way that he would ever allow anything to come between them. He just hoped that the rest of the world would make that as easy as possible.


	11. Discussion

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Eleven

Disclaimer: Inuyasha does not belong to me. It is property of Rumiko Takahashi.

**A/N: The odds play against me, but I have an update for you at last! It's a bit of a battle to get some of this done while trying to do school work, but I pledge to make more of an effort for you. I promise nothing, but I'll do my best. Anyways, this story has been nominated at the IYFG for Best Hidden Treasure. If you're a voter there, vote please!**

Sango quietly pushed the bamboo shade aside before stepping as silently as she could into Kaede's hut. She knew her way around it well, but she wasn't prepared to see Kagome sitting up and smiling at her when she turned around. Startled, she jumped and her back hit the door frame behind her.

"Oh, ow! Whoops!" she laughed nervously.

Concern shifted across Kagome's features. "Are you alright, Sango?"

"Little bit clumsy for a demon slayer, don't you think?" Inuyasha asked coolly. He was not thrilled that his moment with Kagome had once again been cut short. This was going to start getting very annoying.

Every one heard Miroku laugh behind the taijiya. His laugh lightened the mood instantly. Kagome cracked a half-smile as Sango blushed deeply. "She's just a little bit off kilter. I surprised her with a passionate kiss in the woods. She's still stunned at my prowess!"

Sango turned an even deeper shade of red as she whirled around to meet his gaze. Her glare was filled with ire and contempt. Miroku's face was still bright with his smile. "If you weren't holding Shippou, I would beat you senseless!" she raged.

"You know, Shippou's old enough to handle himself. You can beat Miroku anyways," Inuyasha pointed out, a devilish grin turning up a corner of his mouth and baring one of his fangs.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome exclaimed. She extended a hand and slapped him playfully, illustrating her displeasure.

"What?! It's true! He's perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He just likes it when you girls baby him, which you always do!"

"Shut up, you stupid dog!" Shippou sprang to life from within Miroku's arms.

"See! He was listening this whole time!" Inuyasha accused.

"It's a good thing that I was too!" Shippou retorted as he crossed his arms indignantly over his chest. "You were sitting here trying to ruin my good name!"

"If any one's good name is being tarnished in here, it's mine!" Sango exclaimed.

Kagome sat confused as the entire hut began to degrade into absolute chaos. Shippou leapt from Miroku's arms and stomped forward to confront the accusations of the unruly hanyou. Sango, freed of any reasons she would have had to refrain from clobbering Miroku, drew back her hand and slapped Miroku as hard as she could. It was Miroku's turn then to collide with the doorway.

Shippou and Inuyasha continued to argue with each other. Neither one could be heard over the self-important yelling of the other. Suddenly, as if it would bring the argument to an immediate close, Inuyasha slammed his fist against the top of Shippou's skull.

"Sit boy!" Kagome muttered.

The sharp sound of Inuyasha's skull contacting loudly with the floor echoed within the walls of the small hut. It was so loud and surprising that Shippou stopped sobbing, Sango stopped shouting, and Miroku's head turned sharply in the direction of the noise. Kagome felt instantly guilty.

"DAMMIT, WOMAN!" Inuyasha shouted. Fury overtook his features as he raised his head. "What in the hell did you do that for?!"

Kagome suddenly found herself speechless. She knew that she had done it to keep Inuyasha from further clobbering Shippou, but now it was beginning to occur to her that he wouldn't have really hurt the fox child. A blush crept across Kagome's cheeks as she struggled to find the words to defend herself.

Inuyasha's frown deepened as he watched her open and close her mouth as she tried to come up with an explanation. He stood brusquely and stomped for the door, shouting behind him, "Why don't you just think about it for a while!? I'm sick of this!"

Kagome's mouth remained open in shock as she watched him jump into the night sky before the bamboo curtain settled back into place from its violent shove. All eyes focused on Kagome, but no one said anything. They watched expectantly to see what she would do.

"I guess he needs some time to cool off…" Kagome muttered.

Sango shrugged and sat in front of the fire to begin cooking. Miroku sat quietly in a corner to meditate on the happenings of the day, smirking at how he had made Sango blush. Shippou curled up on a stack of blankets, rubbing the small bump on his head and sniffling dramatically. Kagome looked at her hands and sighed.

She was beginning to feel ashamed of what she had done. The full force of his anger had hit her with a sting that she hadn't felt before. Admitting that she cared for him and knowing that he cared back had opened the floodgates of emotion between them. In a way, it had been nice. She was starting to realize that it also meant they could hurt each other much more deeply. Before, she could have written off his reaction as saying he was simply being dramatic, he didn't care for her so he couldn't possibly be that upset. She no longer had that luxury.

Kagome let out another deep sign. She never wanted to hurt Inuyasha. All that she had ever wanted was for him to find himself, to be happy- even if that meant that he would be happy without her. Now that he was before her again, with her again, she had no idea what she wanted for him, what she wanted for herself.

The future was much too uncertain. The jewel being back in the picture didn't make her choices easier for her. Something that Kikyou had said was beginning to eat at her again.

Kikyou's message had been clear. The time would come when she would need to choose between her life before Inuyasha and her life with Inuyasha. She wouldn't ever be able to pretend as though he'd never existed, as though she'd never met him. He would be a part of her forever. She already knew that. But was only having a part of him to hold inside enough? Could she live without him? Was she really cruel enough to walk away from the one person that needed her and loved her, the one person that she needed and loved?

She thought back to a time when Inuyasha was the only person at the center of her heart. She wondered how many nights she had sat up waiting for him to come through the well and tell her that he had been wrong, pretend like nothing had ever happened between them. How many times had she been jealous of the other woman in his heart, the chances that she'd had to be in his arms that Kagome had never had?

She was finally getting what she had spent so much time hoping for. Her chance to be happy with the hanyou she desperately loved was right in front of her. Now it appeared that either she would screw it up for the both of them or fate would.

Miroku broke through the cascade of depressing thoughts by speaking suddenly, shattering the ear-splitting silence in the hut that had been going on for hours. At least, it felt like hours. "I think we need to talk about what we're going to do about everything that happened today."

Kagome glanced around the room. Kaede was sitting next to Sango, who held Shippou in her lap. Miroku still sat in the corner, carefully thinking over what he wanted to say. Inuyasha was still gone. The dinner Sango had been making before was almost finished now. She wondered how long she'd been withdrawn in the realm of her thoughts. How long had she been ignoring the rest of the world?

Kagome looked down at her wrist. Her tiny, feminine Mickey Mouse watched ticked off the seconds. It had been over two hours! Where did the time go? Mickey only smiled idly at her.

Without speaking, Kaede stood and shuffled over to Kagome. Getting older had taken more of a toll on her back these days, it seemed. She was slightly more hunched over than before, but much too stubborn to ever truly complain about it. She had always felt that it was a priestess's job to take her lot in life and make the most of it that she could. Her duty was to serve her village and her people.

She held a fist out toward Kagome. Kagome, without thinking, held her palm open, a repetition of earlier events. Kaede dropped the jewel into it. She had attached a rosary to it, in order to calm some of the unbridled power that Kagome felt running off of it in waves. It did feel weaker than before, so the rosary served its purpose, but it could easily be broken off if ever the jewel was stolen.

Kagome stared at the jewel in her fingers. Light sparkled off the surface, casting a thousand glittering reflections on the creamy white skin of her hand. Its colors seemed different to her now than when she was fifteen years old and fighting for her life. There were more colors within the perfect sphere, more hues that had never been there before.

If she hadn't know the destructive power that the jewel was capable of, how many lives it had destroyed, had many people had died for it, she might have thought it was beautiful. In that moment, she understood why so many people had coveted it. The Shikon no Tama was beautiful beyond compare.

Kagome looked up to meet the eyes of every one in the room. They looked at her expectantly. She knew that they were all wondering, waiting for her to tell them about what Kikyou had said to her.

Sango broke the ice. "What do you think we're supposed to do with it?"

"I'm not sure," Kagome admitted. "I don't know why it came back. All she said was that the Gods brought it back because we would need it. She said a 'new evil' is coming." Kagome surreptitiously left out the predictions for tragedy and hardship.

"What did she mean by a new evil?" Miroku asked rhetorically.

Kagome shrugged helplessly. She didn't know the answers and she wished she understood why she always had to be the one thrown into these situations. Would she _ever_ have a normal life?

Kaede stared at the fire. She was disturbed by her sister's appearance earlier in the day. She hadn't said more than a few words since she had returned to the hut. It seemed that her sister would never be able to resign to the peace of the afterlife. She wondered vaguely if the same fate would apply to her when she left this life.

A thought struck Kagome. "Kaede-sama, how was the jewel being protected when Kikyou was in control of it?"

Kaede turned her arthritic neck slowly, meeting Kagome's questioning gaze. She kept all traces of pain from the dull aching of her old body off her face. "Kikyou had kept it in a purified temple on a special stand. She kept incense burning to ward off any demons or spirits. She purified it at routine times, usually once a week, so that the evil within did not get too great."

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "Why would you ask such a question, Kagome?"

"I understand it," said Sango. "We're not looking for shards, so it would be useless to travel with the jewel. That would just be asking for trouble. It would be best for us to stay in the village with it. We can best protect it from demons here- not to mention all the foolish humans who would want it."

Kagome nodded, smiling at her friend. There were times when it seemed like she and Sango were of the same mind. Miroku stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"But won't that make the village a dangerous place to be? It would increase demon attacks in the area, surely."

"Well," Kagome said, "I'm not sure that the demons know about it being here yet. As far as we know, it was only re-created today. They'll sense something different, but they won't know what it is yet. Besides," she paused for a moment, "I can't explain this easily. It just feels _different_. It's not the same malicious intensity."

Kaede nodded. "I sensed it as well."

"Do you think we should enshrine it again?" Miroku asked the elderly priestess.

"It would be foolish to travel with the jewel," Kaede agreed. "Perhaps it is best if ye do enshrine it. It seems the only way to protect it."

"I just don't want the villagers to get hurt over this," Kagome said, a note of concerned sadness creeping into her tone.

"We don't have much choice. We need them to help protect it," Sango argued. "There's no way that we can do it on our own. We're just going to get older and weaker. Think about the sheer numbers of demons out there. There are only six of us."

"I have to agree with Sango. We'll need all the help that we can get," Miroku commented.

Kagome looked pleadingly at Kaede. If any one else would care about the villagers, it would be the other priestess. Kaede thought for a moment, pursing her lips, before she spoke.

"Sadly, I believe ye are correct. We will need the help of the villagers to protect the jewel from falling into the wrong hands. It is easier to fight with an army than with only six."

Kagome's face fell. She didn't want any one else to get hurt. A large part of her simply wanted to protect every one. It was the mother in her.

"Alright," she conceded. "We'll get started tomorrow. Is the former temple still standing?"

Kaede shook her head.

"We'll need to get the villagers together so that we can begin to build one. Miroku, you and Inuyasha-"

Kagome stopped speaking upon the mention of Inuyasha's name. She had been so distracted that she had almost forgotten about him. "Oh, I have to go apologize!" she exclaimed.

Before any one could say another word, she was running out the door, the Shikon no Tama still clutched within her fingers.


	12. Decision

**As Young Hearts Grow Older**

Chapter Twelve

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any subsequent characters. Original concepts and characters are all property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Media.

**A/N: I know it's a cliff hanger. Bear with me and try not to send me hate mail, ok? It'll get better, I swear!**

Rin's eyes swept around her room. It seemed ridiculously large to her now after having spent so much time in servant's quarters. A frown was still plastered to her face, making her eyelids sag and her cheeks feel heavy. She surmised some of that had to do with her lack of sleep.

It seemed her decision had been made for her. There was no reason for her to stay if she would just have to leave him later down the line. She could not stand to adore him or let herself love him anymore if she was never going to be with him, never going to have a chance. It was pointless to further memorize his face, his scent. He didn't want her to remember. He would abandon her too, just as her own people had.

A tear traced its way down her cheek again. She hated that she had broken down in front of Sesshoumaru. She hated the feelings that were coming to rest within her. She felt as though she would never have any control over her own destiny. She felt weak and helpless and she hated it.

A week, she had promised herself. She would wait a week before leaving the castle, abandoning him before he could abandon her. She had allotted herself a week to come to terms with his absence from her life. Now it seemed like a foolish decision to wait an entire week. Why bother to wait at all? Why didn't she just leave tonight, under the cover of darkness?

Rin nodded to herself. She had brought her ordinary kimono with her. She knelt down, grabbing a square of cloth to bind the clothes in. She couldn't take the finer kimono with her. If she was to become a part of a village, there would be no use for such fine silks and materials. No peasant would appreciate the carefully patterned designs or understand the exorbitant prices paid for them.

She folded each of them carefully before stacking them. She tied the bundle, careful not to ruffle any of the folding she had done. She placed a pair of geta on top, knowing that she wouldn't be able to put them on her feet until she was well outside of the castle walls. Otherwise, she would alert the entire castle to her movements and she couldn't risk being stopped and persuaded to stay. Her torment had gone on long enough. She placed the bundle atop a chest and near the door.

_I'll just have to find Kagome,_ she thought. _I'll find her and I'll explain everything. At least then I'll be able to live with the few humans that I actually trust. No one here would even miss me. There's no point in saying any good-byes._

Rin's resolve was solid. She had come to a decision and she was sure to follow through with it. If she was going to leave under the guise of night, she would need to rest before leaving. She had fought sleep all night, but now it seemed like it would be her only escape, the only thing keeping her from rethinking or regretting her decision.

As she lay down on her futon and closed her eyes, she sighed. It would be difficult to do this, but maybe it was time. Perhaps Sesshoumaru was right; this really wasn't a world for her. She didn't belong and she never had. The carefree child that she could have been died when she was attacked by the wolves all those years ago. The hollow shell that stood in her place could never know happiness. At least, not here, not like this.

Her breathing slowed and she slept.

oOo

Kagome sprinted through the trees; her fists, wrapped into little balls, were swinging wildly at her sides. The rosary whipped furiously against her arms, but she never noticed. Desperation burned inside of her to see him, to tell him that she was sorry. She remembered feeling this way about him before and it warmed her to know that old feelings never really died. Familiarity was returning to her at last.

She instinctively knew that he would be at the Goshinboku. It was his place, his home. This was the location that he always returned to whenever he was upset about something or felt the need to brood. She could find that tree with her eyes closed.

She had visited him at that spot so very many times. She could vividly recall the feel of the bark against her legs, the smoothness of a leaf between the pads of her fingers. She could recall the occasions that he wouldn't come down, forcing her to sit at the tree's base and call up to him until he caved to her will. She had never let him leave that tree sulking. Some of her favorite memories of the past were with him in that tree.

She raced through the night towards the tree. If she had taken a moment to think before racing out, good sense would have stopped her. It was much too dark for her to see more than a few feet in front of her. The moon was just a sliver in the sky, only being a few days past the new moon. It provided very little helpful light.

What really would have stopped her, if she had bothered to take more than a split second to think about the gravity of her actions, was the prospect that demons might be in the area. Sango had told her that demon attacks on neighboring villages had been increasing in number. Had she remembered that, she would have thought more than twice about wandering around the dark night alone with no weapons, no one to protect her, and a brand new sacred jewel.

Considering this now, Kagome put a little more speed into her strides. It wouldn't be long before she reached the tree. She hoped that nothing would happen to her in the meantime.

_Seriously, Kagome, you need to think before you act,_ she chastised herself. _Better late than never, I suppose. At least I thought of it at all. Maybe next time I can work on thinking about this stuff before it's too late and there's nothing I can do. Kami help me if something happens to me now! I should have left the jewel behind._

Her hand instinctively grasped tighter around the Shikon no Tama. _Just a few more feet_, she told herself. She only had to protect herself and the jewel for a few more feet.

As she reached the tree, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her stride became smaller, her mind stopped racing, and her heartbeat slowed. Kagome came to a stop in front of the tree and placed a hand against its trunk to catch her breath.

An angry voice from above surprised her. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize," Kagome said between deep breaths.

"Well I don't want your apologies!"

Kagome looked up in the dark, desperately trying to find him. Her eyes refused to adjust any further in the dim light, and she couldn't make out his figure among the thick leaves. She squinted, trying harder to see him.

"What're you doing to your face?" the hanyou snorted. "You look like you just ate something awful."

"I can't see you! I'm looking for you, but it's hard in the dark!" Kagome growled, slightly offended.

Chuckling slightly at her anger, the half demon jumped gracefully down from his perch. He crossed his arms over his chest arrogantly and was about to say something sarcastic when the faint light glinted against the jewel and caught his eye. Anger twisted his features.

"Are you _crazy_?! Why in the hell would you bring that thing out here?! Are you trying to get us both killed?" he spat. "What if something had happened?"

Kagome was taken aback. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink before she replied. "I didn't exactly stop to think about it. I just came after you! I was afraid…" She paused, unsure of whether or not to continue.

"Afraid of what?" he asked, the edge in his voice sharp and clear.

Kagome turned away from his demanding eyes. She didn't want to look at him, afraid that her features might betray her, might tell him something that she didn't want him to know yet. She hadn't told him that she couldn't be with him forever. She hadn't told him about the well. She couldn't spill that secret just yet. She didn't even know what she would say!

"I…I was just afraid. I don't know why," she lied.

"Well, that's pretty stupid, don't you think? I can handle myself just fine," he scoffed. "I can handle enough to take care of the rest of you too, if you recall."

"That's pretty funny coming from someone who just had a big fit about me bringing the jewel out here," Kagome quipped, desperate for a subject change.

Inuyasha scowled. "That's not the same thing and you know it."

"Look," Kagome began, turning to face him, "I just wanted to tell you that I was sorry. I don't know why I sat you like that back there. There's no excuse. All I can say is that old habits die hard."

She reached for the rosary around his neck, her fingers closing around either side as best they could while she still held the jewel. She started to pull it over his head, but she felt his fingers close around her wrists, holding her hands in place. Surprised, Kagome didn't make any attempt to move further.

First, Inuyasha pulled the jewel out of her palm. He slipped its delicate rosary over her head with one hand in a single fluid motion. Then, he pulled her fingers free from the Rosary of Subjugation and held her small hands within his own.

"Just what are you trying to do?" he whispered huskily.

Kagome felt his warm breath play across her face. She shuddered slightly before stuttering out her answer. "I…I was going to take it off you…so that I couldn't do that to you anymore. I don't want to hurt you."

"What if I wanted to keep it?" he asked, his voice dark, almost teasing.

Confusion played over Kagome's features. "Keep it? Why would you want to keep it? I thought you hated it."

Though he was only inches away, Inuyasha crept closer. His nose was almost touching hers when he finally spoke. "If any one is going to have power over me, Kagome, I'd rather have it be you."

She opened her mouth slightly to speak, but his lips were over hers before she could even get out a sound. Stiff with surprise at first, Kagome's body took over. She leaned into him, her arms encircling his neck. Her eyes closed and she deepened their kiss. Her fingers twisted in the soft hair at the base of his neck and she heard him make a small sound to show her he was enjoying her touch.

A small voice perked up in the back of her head. _Don't enjoy it too much, Kagome. You're going to lose him eventually. Won't it hurt less if you don't get too much closer? Think about all the things you have to lose._

Kagome frowned and pulled away from his kiss. Those thoughts hadn't been hers. She wanted to enjoy him for as long as she could. It was better to have him now and lose him than to never have had him at all. It disturbed her that something was trying to tell her to be negative, to tell her to abandon him.

Who had put those thoughts into her head? If she hadn't been thinking that, then what was going on?

"What's wrong?" Inuyasha asked, concern furrowing his brow.

"Nothing…there was just a really strange thought in my head," she muttered, trying to play it off as far less alarming than it had been.

Kagome put her hands on his cheeks and pulled his face back down to hers. "Kiss me again," she whispered pleadingly. If she couldn't at least control her thoughts, she could blatantly defy them.

The corners of his mouth turned up to a smirk and he returned his lips to hers. The warmth of her body pressed against his made his pulse race. The only sound that filled his ears was the sound of their two hearts beating, hers slightly faster than his. One of his hands pressed against the small of her back, the other gently cupping her neck. He felt her shiver in anticipation.

Suddenly, a bright light began to emanate from the Shikon no Tama. Flecks of gold, red, green, purple, blue, and brilliant white light played across Kagome's skin, making her even more beautiful than before. At once, they both pulled away from each other, startled by the intensity of the light.

The sparkle began to fade as they separated, and each looked at the other, confused. Inuyasha spoke first. "What was _that_?"

Kagome's wide eyes examined the jewel closely before she spoke. "I have no idea! Maybe it was reacting…to us?"

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know. We should ask Kaede…or Miroku…or someone!" Kagome said, exasperated. "It really gave off a lot of energy just then! Did you feel it?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a loud crash in the trees behind them. Instinct took over and he put himself between Kagome and the noise, stepping forward with his hand on the Tetsusaiga.

Kagome saw the red glow of eyes through the trees and swallowed hard. _Maybe he's right! Maybe we are going to be killed over the jewel!_


End file.
